




































































































ST. PETERSBURG, 




















































































































































THE CRUISE 





OF THE 


STEAM YACHT NORTH STAR: 


ENGLAND, RUSSIA, DENMARK, FRANCE, SPAIN, ITALY, 
MALTA, TURKEY, MADEIRA, ETC. 


BY THE 


tZ 


REV. JOHN OVERTON CHOULES, I).D. 

u > 


AUTHOR OF THE 

HISTORY OF MISSIONS,” “ YOUNG AMERICANS ABROAD,” ETC. 



LONDON: 

JAMES BLACKWOOD, PATERNOSTER ROW. 


















































' 






dOA'aaa'i 




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er 








PREFACE. 


I had the opportunity afforded me, by an indulgent 
congregation, to spend the summer of 1851 in Europe; 
and, on my return, I published a small volume (on 
which I was aided by three young friends and pupils, 
who were the companions of my tour), entitled “ Young 
Americans Abroad, or Vacation in Europe.” This had 
a favorable reception by the public, and has passed 
into a fourth edition and been reprinted in London. I 
had no idea that I should again revisit the Old World; 
or, at least, supposed that many years would elapse ere 
such a gratification could be enjoyed. 

Last February, my valued friend Mr. Vanderbilt, 
informed me that he proposed in May to take his family 
on a voyage to the principal seaports of Europe, in a 
steam yacht then building for that purpose; and he 
most kindly invited me to be his guest. I saw no way 
by which I could accept his generous proposition con¬ 
sistently with the duties which I owed to my church 

a 3 







VI 


PREFACE. 


and congregation; but, with a spirit of liberality and 
affection which I can never forget, they urged my accept¬ 
ance of so fine an occasion to visit portions of the world 
rarely accessible to American tourists, and I concluded 
to join the party. My friends generally suggested that 
the excursion would afford sufficient interest to warrant 
a record. My excellent publishers, Messrs. Gould and 
Lincoln, at once claimed a volume; and, finding that 
my fellow-voyagers wished for a memorial of our four 
happy months spent in the North Star, I have con¬ 
sented to chronicle the movements of the most agree¬ 
able associations of my life. I know that books of 
Travels have multiplied of late with fearful rapidity ; 
but still the vast amount of readers in our country 
creates a steady demand for such publications. 

• I f i f r > 'i a orft *rn1 vnrdfA nt ^rrf'TA 

A book of Travels that contains reliable and inter- 

enw bhow odi jj.iI j <£rwtei eiil no t bommb t 3jaj8 ovijb n 

esting information has a good tendency. I remember 
with pleasure my own boyish gratification in reading 

Mavor’s fine collection of Voyages and Travels; that 

YTmq is m bus i ojsgI larmtfecp nwo noiTI 9YBn nom 

set of books gave a turn to my future life, and a large 
share of my happiness may be traced back to the in¬ 
fluences produced on my mind by the perusal of such 

iO uy> oim os bo/opto OYfiif 8nos*ioci v/ol iiiill 

works. It is a great thing to excite the intellect of a 


PREFACE. 


VII 


lad in a right direction. When I was about nine 
years of age, I used to pass many delicious hours in a 
cobblers’s stall, not eight feet square, listening to his 
stories about the American revolutionary war, and the 
wars of the English and French in Canada. I made 
my earliest acquaintance with Lake George, Ticonde- 
roga and Niagara Falls, by the side of the old man’s 
lapstone, whilst he told me how fields were won; and 
Cobbler Hunt’s stories about Indians and lakes, beavers 
and buffaloes, swans and flamingoes, had much to 
do with creating a desire to know more of the scenes 
of his exploits and adventures. This world is full of 
beauty, and it teems with wonders ; and I never see a 
fresh portion of God’s earth, but I feel some respect 
for the old gentleman’s opinion, who, on going from 

Maine to Albany for the first time that he had left his 

-•mini ba& olchubi sniMnoQ iaiL elovf itT lo dood A 

native state, declared, on Ins return, that the world was 

lodmonm I . .yonebnoi boon a asd noihnmolni miifeo 

more extensive than he had supposed. Inere is much 

to see wherever we turn, if our eyes are opened. All 
men have their own peculiar taste; and in a party 
of three or four visiting a foreign city, each member of 


Oft 




it will see things in a different point of light. I believe 


that few persons have enjoyed so fine an opportunity to 

■ 

visit the coast of Europe as we had who formed the 




)30 







VIII 


PREFACE. 


North Star party ; and I hope that a plain narrative of 
the excursion, which has excited so much interest at 
home and abroad, may prove useful and entertaining. 
Those of our countrymen who were in Europe this 
summer, are well aware that the presence of the 
steam yacht in foreign ports was to them the occasion 
of justifiable pride; while to foreigners, she was the 
fruitful theme of admiration and reflection. 


—rm'To hb 

}>rjcor ho 

-J# ) 1 —/if! 


John Overton Ciioules. 


i 




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■ 

Yau*^air — Yjia^iaiT—iOAirirnv an. 

—ii.ST^ao’joj.#•— ajTTSA^ zajaaKai —'/.a tv mu i 
iif , . Yaaaaew ra.tifuon 




JJiT/j 


III/ 

; vtif.q ixitg iftioVI 


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icfq u ifiifi acioi! I 
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I ifn Monk bm> omod 

o 


to av/J/mj;! 

to ieoT^iiii 

»12.! I £XJ i 1 ,! j,1U9 biifi ijjfySJ/ 

Caiitents, 

■’-■ OOO i/l. Uldll! Oj 8 ij y/ 6TK)(j : r QQT 

2'i r en ,v oils .g-ioiiyifnoi oi oliifw ; obn< 

CHAPTER I. 

.ffor&ofc)? bm: t;>:>•:],i : unibs> !o 

ORIGIN OP THE YACHT VOYAGE—VARIOUS IDEAS AS TO ITS OBJECT— 

mb. Vanderbilt's exact arrangement—description of north 

STAR — HER INTERNAL ARRANGEMENT — FURNITURE, ETC.— COM¬ 
MANDER, ASA ELDRIDGE, ESQ.—OFFICERS AND CREW . Page 1 


IJ(f M ' \ 

IJU (J [ 

o oeodT 

OTii f 

toirmijje 

i Mob 

l miioJe 

sidnf) 

Hatq lo 

MOijj 

Iij'tjiini 


CHAPTER II. 


READY TO SAIL — ALL ON BOARD 19 MAY — YACHT RUNS ON A REEF — 
NAVY-YARD AND DRY DOCK — REPAIRS SOON MADE—DEPARTURE 20 
MAY — PILOT LEFT YACHT — MUSTER-ROLL OF THE PARTY—FAMILY 
WORSHIP—EMOTIONS OF VOYAGERS—SAFETY, NOT SPEED, THE RULE 
—STRIKE OF FIREMEN—GREEN HANDS—DIVINE SERVICE — LAND- 
BIRD— CONCERTS — GREAT RUN OF THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY- 
FOUR MILES — COMFORT AND LUXURY OF VOYAGE — MR. VANDER¬ 
BILT’S COURTESY—PILOT—CHANNEL.8 

CHAPTEE III. 


SOUTHAMPTON — SCENERY — HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS — STEAM PACKET 
COMPANIES — HIGH-STREET — AMERICAN VICE-CONSUL, MR. COX — 
DOCKS — STEAMERS — REV. THOMAS ADKINS — ARRIVE IN LONDON— 
QUEEN’S DRAWING-ROOM — OBJECTS OF CURIOSITY, ETC. — HYDE 
PARK—KENSINGTON GARDENS—REGENT’S PARK—VISITS TO WEST¬ 
MINSTER AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES—WINDSOR—HAMPTON COURT 
— BRISTOL — CLIFTON AND VICINAGE — TINTERN—HENBURY AND 
COTTAGES — LOCAL SCENERY — BERKELEY CASTLE — GLOUCESTER— 
CHELTENHAM—ENGLISH COUNTRY SCENERY .... 16 

a 5 





X 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER IV. 

HON. AND REV. BAPTIST NOEL—Mr. GEORGE PEABODY—OPERA—DINNER 
AT RICHMOND—HON. STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS—RECEPTION-NIGHT AT 
HON. J. B. INGEESOLL’S, THE AMERICAN MINISTER—THE LORD 
MAYOR’S SOIREE — MR. DEPUTY BENOCH — THOMAS PRICE, LL.D.— 
TOOVEY’S BOOKSTORE—DEPUTATION FROM SOUTHAMPTON—TONE OF 
ENGLISH FEELING TOWARDS THE UNITED STATES — AN ENGLISH 
TRAVELLER—STREET AMUSEMENTS—SCENE IN AN OMNIBUS . 28 

CHAPTER V. 

INTEREST EXCITED BY ARRIVAL OF THE NORTH STAR — LONDON DAILY 
NEWS — DULWICH GALLERY — MR. THOMAS COLLEY GRATTAN — A 
QUICK TRIP TO LEIPSIC—OUR RETURN TO SOUTHAMPTON—VISIT TO 
NETLEY ABBEY—HISTORICAL NOTICE—SCENERY—REV. DR. KREBBS 
— EXCURSIONS — REV. ALEXANDER MACLAREN — SERVICES OF THE 
-S ABB ATH T r - ^ „. -__. . . 39 


CHAPTER VI. 

JUNE 13, THE BANQUET AT SOUTHAMPTON — APPEARANCE OF TOWN — 
VICTORIA ROOMS — MAYOR — DINNER—ACCOUNT OF PROCEEDINGS 
AND SPEECHES IN THE HAMPSHIRE INDEPENDENT — EXCURSION OF 
THE NORTH STAR, WITH THE MAYOR AND INVITED GUESTS, ROUND 
THE ISLE OF WIGHT — DINNER ON BOARD — ACCOUNT TAKEN FROM 
THE HAMPSHIRE INDEPENDENT.62 


CHAPTER VII. 

VOYAGE —COAST OF NORWAY — KRONBORG CASTLE AND ELSINORE — 

. 

SHIPS IN THE SOUND — COPENHAGEN — BORNHOLM AND OLAND 
ISLANDS—DR. LINSLY—MIRAGE—DAGO ISLAND—STEAMER NEPTUNE 
—CRONSTADT—FORTIFICATIONS—DOCKS—SHIPPING—PUBLIC BUILD¬ 
INGS— CHOLERA — PETERHOFF—WOODS—VAUXHALL HOTEL—MARLY 
AND MONPLAISIR—PETER THE GREAT — HIS HOUSE — FURNITURE — 
COTTAGE OF CATHERINE—A RIDE THROUGH THE GROUNDS—WATER¬ 
WORKS, ETC.—rETERHOFF IMPERIAL PALACE—IMPERIAL YACHT, AND 
GRAND DUKE CONSTANTINE—ADMIRAL GLASSENOFF—MR. MULLER- 
MINIATURE PALACE—COSSACKS.90 



COX'i'JEXTS 


XI 


CHAPTEE YIII. 

SMALL STEAMER— DRESS OP OFFICERS — VIEW OF ST. PETERSBURG — 
QUEER PROCESSION—HOTELS—POLITENESS—MR. ROPES, U. S. CON¬ 
SUL— SUMMER ISLANDS—PETER THE GREAT’S FIRST HOUSE — THB 
CITY — ADMIRALTY—STATUE OF PETER — NEFFSKY PERSPECTIVE — 
SERFS —VIEW OF CITY BY MOONLIGHT — WINTER PALACE AND ITS 
DEPARTMENTS — REGALIA—THE HERMITAGE — PAINTINGS OF DIF¬ 
FERENT SCHOOLS — THE LOGGIE — PETER’S MUSEUM — PRECIOUS 
STONES—HOROLOGE—WREATHS AND LAURELS FROM CHERSONESUS— 
MARBLE PALACE—ALEXANDER PILLAR—MR. EVANS—MONASTERY OF 
ALEXANDER NEFFSKY—ENGLISH CHURCH—KESAU CATHEDRAL—ITS 

INTERIOR AND SERVICE—ISAAC CHURCH.104 

HUu fIOUn.OJ — 41 ATS UTaOH 5UIT lO J2Y12HA T8C CISTTlOZ® TBSStaTKl 

k — KATTA HO YSJJOO 8AMOHT JJCAO HDIWtHTd —• aWaclS 

. .R-xa^HAPTEK ix. 

MAJOR THOMPSON BROWN — DROSKYS — WEDDING — GOSTINNOI DVOR— 
STREETS — MILITARY — FAREWELL TO ST. PETERSBURG—RETURN TO 
THE YACHT — VISITORS — REGATTA — CRONSTADT — MR. WILKINS — 
DANGEROUS POSITION — VISIT FROM GRAND DUCHESS OF OLDEN- 
BURGH AND FAMILY — STEAMBOAT PARTY AND IMPERIAL BAND 
— THE EMPEROR—QUEEN DOWAGER OF HOLLAND — NARROW 

ESCAPE . " i , . . ! , , . . v . 122 

ro KOVsHJOXSC — THaaHJnsiTKI aaiH8TMAH 3KT HI aaHOKRTS atfA 

mil RDDOM-aa A. P T 

!3 

VOYAGE—COPENHAGEN— THORWALDSEN S MUSEUM—FREUKIRKE—THOR- 
WALDSEN’S CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES — THE SCULPTOR — HOSEN- 
BERGH PALACE —ITS RICH COLLECTIONS OF ART— COINS AND 
MEDALS — PARK — STATUARY — COUNTRY—EXCHANGE—GALLERIES— 
AMALIENBORG PLADS—SONG OF THE WATCHMAN . . . 131 

:hajo cha MJOHMflon — TisoAnHavoo — anuoe hht hi stihs 


ww ww-otim CHAPTER XI. 

OFF FOR HAVRE—SCENERY OF THE SOUND — ISLE OF HUEN — TYCHO 
BRAHE — NORWAY AND SWEDEN — GODWIN SANDS LIGHT-SHIP — 
DOVER AND WALMER CASTLES — HAVRE — STEAMER FRANKLIN — 
MB. VESEY, U. S. CONSUL — THE TOWN — HISTORICAL INCIDENTS— 
INGOUVILLE—LEAVE FOE PARIS—ROUEN, POISSY, ETC. . .140 




XII 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER XIL 

HOTELS — HON* S. G. GOODRICH—AMERICAN CLERGY IN EUROPE — 
REVIEW—REV. ROBERT LOVETT AND HIS CHAPEL—CONFERENCE OF 
AMERICANS—METHODIST CHAPEL—LOUVRE—JARDIN DES PLANTES— 
PALAIS DE JUSTICE—FLOWER MARKET—HOTEL DE CLUNY—ENGLISH 
FRIENDS—VERSAILLES—GARDEN OF THE TUILLERIES AND CHAMPS 
ELYSEES—PONT NEUF AND OLD PARTS OF PARIS—HOTEL DE VILLE 
—CHURCHES—ROYAL LIBRARY—GOBELINS—ST. DENIS—NEUILLY— 
CHAPELLE ST. FERDINAND — CHAPELLE EXPIATOIRE — FONTAINE¬ 
BLEAU .. r „ * T , r 


YAJO YHKHH 'iO 5IU TAT3—'JUAUIRKMA lO grBJH -OIUUAH eijtiAU. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

REV. J. R. PEAKE—NAPOLEON’S TOMB IN THE HOTEL DES INVALIDES— 
LOUIS PHILIPPE — DESCRIPTION OF THE CRYPT — GALLERY, ETC.— 
MOSAICS—CARYATIDES — SARCOPHAGUS — RELIQUARY — ALTAR AND 
BALDAQUIN—GUIDE—CLIMATE OF PARIS —OVERTURES MADE TO MR. 
VANDERBILT — WOODMAN AND FORR —RAILROAD TO ROUEN — HIS¬ 
TORIC NOTICE—POPULATION OF ROUEN — CATHEDRAL — INTERIOR— 
MONUMENTS—RICHARD CCEUR DE LION, ETC.—ABBEY OF ST. OUEN 
— PALACE OF JUSTICE — JOAN OF ARC — CORNEILLE — ENGLISH 
CHURCH — VISITORS. 169 

OTVLA8 OTMAO- -JAttffSHTAO —i VHo x> •: r» i • XJ ABIT H09 


CHAPTER XIV. 

VOYAGE RESUMED — BAY OF BISCAY — VIGO BAY — LOSS OF ROBERT 
OGDEN FLINT — ROCK OF LISBON — CAPE ST. VINCENT—TRAFALGAR 
— TARIFA—COAST OF AFRICA — ROCK OF GIBRALTAR — MALAGA — 
QUARANTINE — WATERING — VISITORS FROM SHORE—FUNERAL SER¬ 
MON—CATHEDRAL—-BEGGARS IN THE STREETS—A PRETTY BOY AND 
A STRONG RESEMBLANCE — JOSE CUBERO—PRIEST WITH BELL AND 
BOX — BULL RING—REV. CHARLES BRERETON—BISHOP OF BARCE 
LONA—CALECHES AND DRIVERS—HIDE TO MR. DELIUS’ VILLA AND 
VINEYARDS—ALAMEDA—MULETEERS—MR. CONSUL SMITH—HARBOR 
OF MALAGA.. 180 





CONTENTS 


XIII 


CHAPTER XV. 


OFF FOB LEGHORN—CARTHAGENA— XVICA — MAJORCA—MINORCA—COR¬ 
SICA— SCENERY—GORGONA — LEGHORN—HOTEL ST. MARCO—FREE 
PORT — OPERA — SCOTCH FREE CHURCH — SERVICE ON SABBATH — 
STREETS ADMIRABLY PAVED—EVENING SERVICE—THE PARSONAGE- 
HOUSE—GOSPEL IN ITALY.193 

CHAPTER XYI. 


ARRIVE AT FLORENCE—HOTEL D ITALIE—RIDE—CITY AND STREETS, ETC. 
PITTI PALACE—PICTURES—CANOVA’S VENUS—DUKE’S APARTMENTS 
—MUSEUM—POWERS AND HART—POWERS’ STUDIO AND HIS WORK— 
HART’S STUDIO—BUSTS OF AMERICANS—STATUE OF HENRY CLAY— 
UFFIZII GALLERY — STATUARY — TRIBUNE—VENUS DE MEDICI — 
KNIFE-GRINDER, ETC.—TITIAN’S YENUSES—RAPHAEL’S PICTURES, 
ETC.—NIOBE—RUBENS — POWELL’S DE SOTO, ETC. — CATHEDRAL— 
CAMPANILE—BAPTISTERY—SANTO CROCE—CHAPEL OF THE MEDICI 
—ST. LORENZO—SACRISTY—MICHAEL ANGELO’S DAY AND NIGHT— 
PALAZZO VECCHIO — DUCAL PIAZZA — STATUARY . . . .199 

CHAPTER XYII. 


SANTA MARIA NOVELLA — PAINTINGS — SPEZIERIA — RESIDENCE OF 
MICHAEL ANGELO—CHURCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION—THE CASCINE 
—SCENERY—MOUNTAINS—THE BRIDGES—FRIENDS IN FLORENCE— 

Oliver Cromwell’s portrait—impressions of Florence—leave 

FOR PISA—THE CITY—LEANING TOWER—CATHEDRAL—CAMPO SANTO 
THE BAPTISTERY—SANTA MARIA DELLA SPINA — THE CAMELS — 
LEGHORN—GOVERNMENT ALARMED AT OUR YACHT—VISITORS, 

ETC. 212 


•OR TO 


ffcTAHT 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


fit! 

TfTfc 


aai 


THJ 


nrtroo 


LEAVE LEGHORN FOR CIVITA VECCHIA — HARBOUR — DIFFICULTIES ON 
OUR WAY—DISAPPOINTMENT—VOYAGE RESUMED—SEE ST. PETER’S 
AFAR OFF—ISCHIA—PROCEDA—BAIA, BTC.—BRIDGE OF CALIGULA 
—NAPLES — THE BAY — RENEWED DISAPPOINTMENT — SWIMMERS — 
LADY MORGAN — VESUVIUS, ETC.— CAPRI AND SUNSET—STROMBOL 
AND .ETNA—CAPE FARO, OR PELORUS—SCYLLA—EARTHQUAKE OF 
1783—MESSINA—SCENERY OF THE STRAITS—RHEGIUM — MOUNT 
ETNA—SYRACUSE—CAPE PASSARO—MALTA . . . 22 









XIV 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER XIX. 

HARBOUR—ARABS—ALLOWED TO LAND—VISIT FROM MR. CONSUL WIN- 
THROP—DIVERS—HISTORICAL NOTICE—VALETTA—THE RACES—MAL“ 
TESE BOATS—INVITATION FROM THE GOVERNOR TO TAKE DINNER— 
INVITATIONS FROM THE OFFICERS OF THE GARRISON—VISIT TO SIR 
WILLIAM REID—GOVERNOR’S PALACE—MR. WINTHROP’S RESIDENCE 
—MSS. OF ITALIAN OPERAS—CAPTAIN THOMAS GRAVES, R.N.—CITTA 
VECCHIA—SHOPS—THE GOVERNOR AND SUITE VISIT THE YACHT— 

st. John’s church—walls of the citadel—country people— 

COSTUME—FORTS ANGELO, RICASOLI, MANOEL, TIGNE AND ST. ELMO 
—TURKISH SIEGE IN 1565— DEPART FOR CONSTANTINOPLE . 235 


CHAPTER XX. 


MOREA—CERIGO—CAPE COLONNA—TENEDOS—PLAINS OF TROY—ENGLISH 
AND FRENCH FLEETS—SIGiEUM—HELLESPONT—DARDANELLES—CAS¬ 
TLES OF EUROPE AND ASIA — PROPONTIS, OR SEA OF MARMORA — 
FIRST VIEW OF STAMBOUL — SCENERY— ANCHORAGE OFF PERA — 
MR. BROWN AND OTHER VISITORS — VISIT TO PERA, GALATA AND 
TOPHANA — SULTAN’S NEW PALACE — GULLS — SULTAN’S FIRMAN — 
SERAGLIO—ATMEIDAN, OR HIPPODROME—SUBLIME PORTE—LIBRARY 
—ANCIENT ARMOUR—MOSQUE OF ST. SOPHIA—HISTORICAL NOTICE, 
ETC. 252 


CHAPTER XXL 


MOSQUE OF ACHMET—MUZZEIN’S CALL—COSTUMES OF THE JANISSARIES 
—REV. MR. BENJAMIN — TOMB OF SULTAN MAHMOUD — BAZAARS — 
SHOPPING — VISIT TO THE ENGLISH YACHT, SYLPHIDE — TURKISH 
VISITORS — AMERICAN MISSIONARIES — EXCURSION TO SCUTARI — 

7H0H8 JTEPT TilXSB •—— ct yr / . j 70 ''iv a 7<t<t j • 

HOWLING DERVISHES—CEMETERY—WEDDING—BULGURLU—SCENERY 

—CHALCEDON — A KIOSK — HOUSE IN WHICH THE LATE SULTAN 

jkt mo (A * uvr-jy- a> ihh - nu z/v rfiTLf#a jiouu ■ ✓ <-> m* t 

DIED — SOLDIERS COMING IN FROM ASIA — DARK RIDE — SAIL TO 

BEBEK—AFFECTING INCIDENT—VILLAGE OF BEBEK—MISSION PRE- 

u> .ij.uoE a hgayov mir —psiiummq at u civ/ hiat 

MISES—EDUCATION OF BOYS IN MECHANICAL ARTS—PERSECUTION 
—MR. HAMLIN—ARMENIAN PRIEST—THE FAMILY CIRCLE—“LIGHT 
ON THE DARK RIVER”—MISS LOVELL—MR. MINASIAN . . 267 



CONTENTS 


XV 


CHAPTER XXII. 

SULTAN GOING TO MOSQUE — CAIQUES—A STEAMBOAT CHARTERED—EX¬ 
CURSION UP THE BOSPHORUS — EUROPEAN BANK—TURKISH AND 
EGYPTIAN FLEET — SYMPLEGADES—BLACK SEA — ASIATIC COAST — 
LAND AT KANDALI — RETURN TO YACHT—DEPARTURE FROM CON¬ 
STANTINOPLE— VOYAGE TO GIBRALTAR—ARRIVAL AT THE ROCK — 
APPEARANCE OF ROCK AND TOWN—THE METHODIST CHAPEL—REV. 
W. H. BIDWELL —STREETS AND MARKETS — SHOPS AND GOODS — 
EXCURSION TO THE ROCK—ENGLISH OFFICERS—ST. GEORGE’S HALL 
— ST. MICHAEL’S CAVE — MONKEYS—DINNER AT MR. SPRAGUE’S — 
HISTORICAL NOTICES—SMUGGLERS SHOT—PROFFERED HOSPITALITIES 
— EXCURSION TO THE CORK WOODS — “CHARLEY,” THE MOORISH 
MERCHANT—DINNER WITH THE FORTY-FOURTH REGIMENT—VISITORS 
TO THE YACHT.283 

.XX -513 T *1 A II0 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

LEAVE GIBRALTAR — TANGIER—SAIL FOR MADEIRA —PORTO SANTO—MA¬ 
DEIRA—FUNCHAL, AND ITS ASPECT—LANDING IN THE SURF—HIS¬ 
TORIC NOTICE—LEGEND OF MACHIM—OBSERVATIONS ON FUNCHAL 
—CATHOLIC INTOLERANCE—MANNERS OF PEOPLE — EXCURSION TO 
THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF THE MOUNT—SCENERY—A MIRACLE 
— MR. GEORGE BROWN — BEGGARS — ARTICLES FOR SALE-—YATES* 
HOTEL—HIS STUDY—CLIMATE—SIR JAMES CLARK AND LEIGH HUNT 
—POPULATION—BOARDING-HOUSES—MODES OF TRAVEL — SHOPS— 
THE BOY-BEGGARS—BLAST OF THE VINEYARDS—THE VINE—WINES 
OF THE ISLAND—FRUITS AND VEGETABLES—TREES AND FLOWERS— 

BIRDS—FISH—DEPARTURE.303 

?‘''I%A83nUl STBT FO 0SM fTSOO — JJAO B'JILfSS'JH—TSMHJJA. TO 3HQ80 

— PRAAS/ff— CTHOIlHAM PIATJ'ja 'JO SHOT— Vlllf. ' IV I ,il{ .VHfl — 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

LEAVE FUNCHAL — APPEARANCE OF THE ISLAND — SKIRT THE SHORE — 
ROUGH WEATHER — LIVE STOCK — A WRECK DISCOVERED—FLYING- 
FISH—SANDY HOOK—SALUTATIONS ON ARRIVAL—SUMMARY OF THE 
VOYAGE — OUR OBLIGATIONS TO MR. AND MRS. VANDERBILT—CAP¬ 
TAIN ELDRIDGE AND HIS OFFICERS — THE VOYAGE A SOURCE OF 
PRIDE TO THE COUNTRY.323 







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STEAM YACHT NORTH STAR. 

ST. PETERSBURG, FROM THE ENGLISH QUAY 

ROUEN . 

LEGHORN. 

CONSTANTINOPLE .. 

GIBRALTAR, PROM THE SPANISH SIDE. 

FUNCHAL, FROM THE SEA.. 


.. Title Page. 
.... Page 109 




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174 

194 

256 

288 

308 




















CHAPTER I. 


ORIGIN OF THE YACHT VOYAGE—VARIOUS IDEAS AS TO ITS OBJECT— 

mr. Vanderbilt’s exact arrangement—description of north 

STAR — HER INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS — FURNITURE, ETC. — COM* 

MANDER, ASA ELDEIDGE, ESQ.—OFFICERS AND CREW. 

Early in the spring of the present year, the attention 
of the country was directed to an item in the daily 
papers of New York, containing information that Mr. 
Vanderbilt was constructing a steam-ship of large di¬ 
mensions, which he intended as a yacht for the accom¬ 
modation of his family and some invited friends in a 
voyage to the principal sea-ports in Europe. The an¬ 
nouncement of this project excited a deep interest in 
the public mind, and the excursion became a prominent 
subject of conversation. 

Mr. Vanderbilt was known to his countrymen as a 
thoroughly practical man, whose energy and perseve¬ 
rance, combined with strong intellect and high com- 9 
mercial integrity, had given him immense wealth ; all 
his undertakings had been crowned with signal success, 
and his great enterprise in opening a communication 
with the Pacific by the Nicaragua route had made him 
a reputation in Europe ; and a general expectation ex¬ 
isted that he would carry out his plan in a manner that 
would redound to the honor of the country. Various 
opinions were entertained as to his ultimate designs. 
Many imagined that Mr. Vanderbilt proposed to efibct 
some great mercantile operation,—he was to sell his 
ship to this monarch, or that government,—or, he was 
to take contracts for the supply of war steamers; all 

B 



2 


me. Vanderbilt’s object. 


sorts of speculations were entertained by that generally 
misinformed character ,—the public. In February, I 
was sitting with Mr. Vanderbilt in his library, when 
he gave me the first information I had received of his 
intentions, and he kindly invited me and my wife to 
accompany him to Europe in the month of May. The 
ship was then on the stocks, but he named the very 
day on which he should sail, and gave me the details 
of his proposed route, and from which few deviations 
were afterwards made. Mr. V. expressly informed me 
that his sole object was to gratify his family and afford 
himself an opportunity to see the coast of Europe, 
which he could in no other way; and he observed that, 
after more than thirty years’ devotion to business, in 
all which period he had known no rest from labour, 
he felt that he had a right to a complete holiday. 

The following description of the yacht appeared in 
the Illustrated News, published in New York, April 9, 
1853, and I select it for my present purpose, as it is, I 
believe, strictly correct:— 

“ me. Vanderbilt’s steam yacht. 

“ The latest enterprise in the way of steam vessels, 
with which Mr. Vanderbilt has had any connection, is 
the construction of a yacht, for private purposes, to be 
propelled by steam. This vessel is called the * North 
Star,’ and was lately launched at New York. She is 
to leave on a cruise to the east about the middle of 
May. Mr. Vanderbilt goes out in her, with some 
thirty or forty ladies and gentlemen, his friends. We 
believe he intends to land first at Southampton, then 
go round to London. From there the trip is to be 
extended, first up the Baltic to St. Petersburgh, and 
then return, and go up the Mediterranean, calling at 
Gibraltar, Naples, Malta and Athens, visiting Constan¬ 
tinople and Alexandria. What will the wealthy noble¬ 
men of England—the proprietors of sailing yachts of 
fifty and a hundred tons—say to a citizen of the United 


DESCRIPTION OF NORTH STAR. 


3 


States appearing in their waters with a steamship yacht 
of twenty-five hundred tons burthen; a vessel large 
enough to carry the armament of a British seventy-four ? 
We have shown our transatlantic cousins one sample of 
yachting, about which we do not care to boast. Drop¬ 
ping the past, we are sure the English nobility and 
gentry will give the gallant ‘ commodore ’ a reception 
commensurate with his rank as a merchant prince,— 
one who goes abroad in a style not inferior to their 
own youthful sovereigns. We predict a sensation, at 
the appearance of this vessel in Europe, second to that 
of no arrival they have ever had from any quarter of 
the globe. 

“ The North Star has been built under the imme¬ 
diate supervision of her owner, whose principal object 
has been to combine beauty of model with strength 
and durability; and, although connoisseurs in naval 
architecture bespeak for her a speed equal to any of 
our sea steamers, yet it has not been so much the de¬ 
sign of her owner to produce the fastest vessel afloat, 
as a noble specimen of American mechanical skill. 
Her boilers and the principal part of her engines are 
on board, and she will in a few weeks be ready to sail 
for Southampton. 

“ To her builder, Mr. Simonson, too much praise 
cannot be awarded for the care and skill he has dis¬ 
played in the construction of this noble ship; which, 
apart from the beauty of her model, is probably the 
strongest fastened vessel of her tonnage afloat. She is 
260 feet on the keel, 270 feet on the spar deck, 38 
breadth of beam, 13 feet from floor timber to lower 
deck beams, 7 feet 8 inches between decks, 7 feet 6 
inches between main and spar decks, making her whole 
depth 28 feet 6 inches. Her keel, of white oak, is 15 
inches sided by 14 inches wide, stem and stern posts 
of the same material, with double aprons, and inner 
posts of live oak, bolted through with 11 copper bolts, 
deadwoods of white oak and 13 inches through, fas- 

b 2 


4 


DESCRIPTION OF NORTH STAR. 


tened with 1| inch copper bolts, in the most substantial 
manner. The floor timbers are sided 12- inches, and 
moulded 13 inches, being placed close together, and 
bolted through sideways with inch bolts. The main 
kelsons, of which there are five rows extending the 
entire length of the ship, are of vhite oak, sided 15 inches 
by 32 inches deep, the first tier being fastened by two 
copper bolts If inches in diameter, through every floor 
timber, the upper tiers secured to the lower one with 
large iron bolts. The bed upon which the engine rests 
is composed of four rows of kelsons, 2 feet 2 inches 
by 5 feet deep, secured by iron screw bolts driven from 
the bottom before the vessel was planked. The outside 
planking of white oak, 3f inches thick, increasing to 
5 inches, is secured with copper bolts and locust tre¬ 
nails, there being 32,000 of the latter driven through 
and wedged upon both sides. There are six bilge 
streaks on the inside of the ship, covering the floor 
heads and futtocks 12 by 14 inches, fastened to the 
timbers with iron bolts, and bolted edgeways between 
every frame. 

“ The ceiling is of six-inch yellow pine, and bolted 
in the same manner as the bilge streak, forming one 
substantial mass of timber 14 feet in depth. The 
lower deck clamps, on which the beams rest, are 7 
inches thick, thoroughly fastened with iron bolts driven 
from the outside, and rivetted on the inside. 

“ There are 45 deck beams in the lower deck, with 
carlines between, sided 15 inches and moulded 14 
inches, with lodging and bosom knees of white oak, 
and a large hanging knee on each end. The water 
ways on top of the lower deck are composed of three 
pieces, extending the whole length of the ship, tho¬ 
roughly bolted,—making this deck sufficiently strong 
to stand any reasonable strain. The clamps to support 
the main deck are of yellow pine, 6 inches thick and 
14 inches wide, of two widths. This deck is securely 
kneed, in the same manner as the lower one. The 


HER INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS. 


5 


stanchions, which extend from the floor timbers to the 
lower deck beams, have a large bolt passing through 
them, and are continued on to the upper decks, thus 
connecting the deck with the bottom of the ship. The 
lower and main deck planks are of white pine, 3 by 5 
inches; the upper or spar deck extending the entire 
length of the ship. 

“ Her machinery is from the Allaire works. She 
will be propelled by two lever beam engines : cylinders, 
60 inches; length of stroke, 10 feet; diameter of 
wheels, 34 feet. Her boilers of which she has four, 
are 24 feet long, 10 feet diameter, 11-| feet front, 11 
feet high, with single return flues. 

“ Her cabins and interior arrangements combine all 
that is required to insure comfort and elegance. 

“ The Staten Islander of the 20th of May, speaking 
of the yacht, stated that £ the main saloon is splendidly 
fitted up with all that can tend to gratify the eye and 
minister to luxurious ease. The state-rooms, which 
lead from it on either side, are fitted up in the first 
style of the upholsterer’s art. The furniture through¬ 
out blends in one harmonious whole; there are none of 
those glaring contrasts which are too often met with, 
and offend the eye and taste by their incongruities. 
This saloon is of beautiful satin-wood, with just suffi¬ 
cient rosewood to relieve it, the work of which was 
executed by Mr. Charles Simonson. The cabinet fur¬ 
niture and upholstery were furnished from the extensive 
establishment of Messrs. J. & J. W. Weeks. The fur¬ 
niture of the main saloon is of rosewood, carved in the 
splendid style of Louis XV., covered with a new and 
elegant material of figured velvet plush, with a green 
ground filled with bouquets of flowers. It consists of 
two sofas, four couches, six arm-chairs. Connected 
with this saloon are ten state-rooms, superbly fitted up, 
each with a Trench armour le gles, beautifully enamel¬ 
led in white, with a large glass door—size of plate, 
forty by sixty-four inches. The berths are furnished 


6 


FURNITURE, ETC. 


with elegant silk lambricans and lace curtains. Each 
room is fitted up with a different color, namely, green 
and gold, crimson and gold, orange, &c. The toilet 
furniture, matches with the hangings and fittings, by 
being of the same colors, and presents a picture of 
completeness not often met with. The saloon and 
state-rooms are kept at a pleasant temperature by one 
of Van Horn’s steam heaters, which occupies the centre 
of the cabin. It is a beautiful specimen of bronze 
trellis-work, with marble top, and has richly burnished 
gilding. The tapestry carpet is one of gorgeous pat¬ 
tern. Forward of saloon is a magnificent dining- 
saloon. This is fitted up in a style entirely new to sea¬ 
going vessels. The walls are covered with a preparation 
of ligneous marble, polished to a degree of mirror-like 
brightness that marble is incapable of receiving. The 
panels are of Naples granite, the style of Breschia 
jasper, and the surface of yellow Pyrenees marble. The 
ceiling of this room is in panels painted white, with 
scroll-work of purple, light-green and gold, surrounding 
medallion paintings of Columbus, Webster, Clay, Cal¬ 
houn, Washington, Franklin, and others, together with 
various emblematic conceptions. All the table furni¬ 
ture is of the most gorgeous description. The china is 
of ruby and gold finish, and the silver ware of the 
finest kind. The entire interior furnishing has been 
done with the single idea of producing the very best 
effect possible, and every article shows elaborate design 
and workmanship, which reflects much credit on Ame¬ 
rican taste and skill/ 

“ A fine entrance saloon, leading from the deck, con¬ 
ducts, by an elegantly adorned staircase, to the main 
saloon. This reception saloon has a circular sofa capa¬ 
ble of seating some twenty persons, and is covered with 
crimson plush. Over the stairway is a good painting 
of Mr. Vanderbilt’s summer villa at Staten Island, 
which w r as placed there, without his knowledge, by the 
polite attention of his artist friend.” 


COMMANDER, OFFICERS AND CREW. 7 

“ The command of the steamer was given by her 
proprietor to AsaEldridge, Esq., a gentleman who had 
established a high nautical reputation as a commander 
in the India, Liverpool, and California trade. The first 
officer was Mr. Cope, of Virginia; the second, Mr. 
Petersen, a native of Sweden; the chief engineer was 
Mr. Germaine, of New York ; the steward, Mr. Larner, 
formerly of the Cunard line; the purser, Mr. John 
Keefe, the well-known caterer of good things at the 
cafe near the Packet Club, in Broadway. 

“ Several of the hands who shipped for the cruise 
were young men of the best families in the country, 
who were attracted by the prospect of visiting so many 
celebrated cities and places in a short summer passage.” 


8 


CHAPTEE II. 

BEADY TO SAIL — ALL OK BOABD 19 MAY — YACHT HUKS OK A REEF — 
KAVY-YARD AKD DRY DOCK—REPAIRS BOOK MADE—DEPARTURE 20 
MAY — PILOT LEFT YACHT—MUSTER-ROLL OF THE PARTY—FAMILY 
WORSHIP—EMOTIOKS OF VOYAGERS—SAFETY, KOT SPEED, THE RULE 
—STRIKE OF FIREMEK—GREEK HAKDS—DIVIKE SERVICE — LAKD- 
BIRD — COKCEETS — GREAT RUK OF THREE HUKDRED AKD FORTY- 
FOUR MILES — COMFORT AKD LUXURY OF VOYAGE — MR. VAKDEB- 
BILT’S COURTESY—PILOT—CHAKKEL. 

All preliminary arrangements having been made, and 
the * North Star ’ having made a satisfactory trip 
to Sandy Hook,—the only trial to which she was sub¬ 
jected,—the party assembled on board for our de¬ 
parture, May 19th, at the wharf belonging to the 
Allaire works, near the foot of Corlears-street. A 
party of our friends, consisting of between four and 
five hundred persons, was on board the yacht, who 
were to accompany us to the Hook, and return in the 
Francis Skiddy, which, as a mark of respect to Mr. 
Vanderbilt, had been loaned for the occasion by her 
owner, J. McCullough, Esq. At half-past ten a.m. 
the wheels were in motion, but in three minutes after, 
the force of the ebb-tide operating upon the yacht, 
which had no steerage-way, she struck hard and fast 
upon the reef which lies at the pier. Here we were 
placed in what an old gentleman on board termed “ a 
located position.” The Huguenot steamer came to 
our assistance, and in a few hours we entered the Dry 
Dock, at the Government Navy-yard, where we re¬ 
ceived all necessary aid, afforded in the kindest manner 
by Commodore Smith, the chief of the Bureau of the 


NAVY YARD AND DRY DOCK. 9 

Dock and Navy-yard, and Captain Boorman, the com¬ 
mandant of the Navy-yard. It ought to be stated, 
that as soon as the accident occurred, a telegraphic 
message was sent to the Secretary of State and the 
Navy Department; and an order was promptly re¬ 
sponded that we should be received at the Dry Dock, 
which, fortunately, was unoccupied at the time. The 
Dry Dock is a most splendid work of art; and by the 
force of the powerful steam-engine it was soon emptied, 
and the North Star was exposed to the examination of 
the ship-carpenters. It was found that the damage 
was very slight; she had only lost a part of her shoe, 
and roughed her copper in a few places. Everything 
was made right in a short time, and the anxiety of the 
party, which had been considerable, lest a delay should 
prove inevitable, was at once relieved, and, at seven 
minutes to eight o’clock p.m., on the 20th of May, 
we left the gates amid the cheering of our kind friends 
who lined the dock; and, as we steamed down the 
river, we fired salutes and received them from various 
ships, and at the Battery, where a large party had 
gathered to give us a farewell greeting. As the North 
Star passed by Staten Island, and just opposite to the 
residence of Mr. Vanderbilt’s mother, rockets were let 
off, and guns fired from the yacht. The night was 
fine, and the moon, shining in a cloudless sky, gave us 
a charming view of one of the sweetest islands of the 
world. At half-past nine o’clock we were outside the 
Hook, and all in fine spirits, as the pilot, Mr. John 
Martineau, left the ship. Just before leaving, he was 
called into the cabin and received the present of a 
purse of gold, which was intended to show that no 
blame was attached to him by Mr. Vanderbilt on 
account of the disaster at leaving the dock on the 
previous day. The presentation was made by Mr. 
H. F. Clark. 

Perhaps this may be the proper time to record the 


10 


FAMILY WORSHIP. 


muster-roll of the party, which consisted of the follow¬ 
ing persons.— 

Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, Mrs. James 
Cross, Miss Kate Vanderbilt, Master George W. Van¬ 
derbilt, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Vanderbilt, Mr. and Mrs. 
D. B. Allen, Mr. and Mrs. George Osgood, Mr. and 
Mrs. W. K. Thorn, Miss Louisa Thorn, Mr. and Mrs. 
Daniel Torrance, Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Clark, Mr. and 
Mrs. N. B. Labau, Dr. and Mrs. Linsly, Kev. Dr. and 
Mrs. Choules, Mrs. Asa Eldridge. 

Soon after leaving Sandy Hook, Mr. Vanderbilt re¬ 
quested me to conduct family worship on board the 
ship throughout the voyage, and to appoint such an 
hour as I thought most suitable. It was accordingly 
agreed that prayers should be attended every evening 
at nine o’clock, and that grace should be said at all 
the meals on board ship. It affords me great pleasure 
to record that nearly all the party regularly attended 
throughout the voyage, as well as at the Sabbath-day 
services, when a sermon was preached at eleven o’clock. 
It is a happy thing for the voyager who for the first 
time looks back upon the receding shores of his beloved 
land, that, amid the disquietudes that fill his imagina¬ 
tion and the natural forebodings of terror, connected, 
probably, with actual suffering, he has the prospect of 
revelling amid the cherished day-dreams of his boy¬ 
hood ; he anticipates an association with the glorious 
homes of England, the battle-fields of freedom, the 
classic plains of Italy and Greece, and the storied 
shores of the Mediterranean. I have noticed, on 
several passages over the Atlantic, that a thoughtful 
and contemplative mood is the characteristic feature 
of the voyager for the first two or three days; his 
mind appears to fall back upon his history, and, apart 
from the excitement of life’s usual tide, the man 
remembers the way by which he has been led. A 
great change is felt to have been made in a few short 


SAFETY, NOT SPEED, THE RULE. 


11 


hours. The different pursuits of life in which all have 
been occupied are broken oft'. A period of calm repose 
is afforded; a thing so new and untried by most of 
our party,—business men, for whose ardor the days 
are too short and the nights are too long. 

The next day after leaving New York, the day was 
all that we could desire; not a cloud was visible, the 
sun shone most gloriously, and it seemed happiness to 
exist. At twelve o’clock, it was announced that we 
had made one hundred and seventy-six miles since 
eight o’clock the previous evening. This was regarded 
as satisfactory for the first day, because we were under 
moderate steam. Mr. Vanderbilt distinctly informed 
us that his plan was to insure safety for the prosecution 
of the whole voyage, which would probably be one of 
nearly twenty thousand miles, and that the attainment 
of great speed was no object of his ambition. Of the 
power and capacity of the North Star he had no doubt; 
but with such objects to effect as he proposed, he felt 
unwilling to make any rash attempts at unusual ra¬ 
pidity. 

It is worth stating that, in making up the comple¬ 
ment of firemen for the voyage, Mr. Germaine had 
selected a company of picked men, whose abilities he 
knew from former service. But, an hour before the 
yacht was to commence her voyage, this department of 
the ship’s company saw fit to strike for wages, sup- p 
posing that such a measure, at so critical a juncture, 
would meet with a sure compliance. But the calcula¬ 
tion was made without the host, and in total ignorance 
of the man with whom they had to do. True to his 
principles of action in all his business affairs, Mr. 
Vanderbilt refused to be coerced by the seeming ne¬ 
cessity of the case; he would not listen for a moment 
to demands so urged, and in one hour selected such 
firemen as could be collected; and many of them were 
green hands, and ill-adapted to give efficient service 
in their most important department, where skill and 


12 


DIVINE SERVICE. 


adroitness are necessary qualifications, and can only be 
the result of experience. Several of the seamen, too, 
were fresh from the rural occupations of life. One 
youth was ordered to strike two bells, and, after a 
tardy movement, he reported that he could only find 
one bell! Several whales were seen not far from the 
ship, and their gambols amused those who had never 
before seen Leviathan at home. 

On the 22nd, our party was all in usual health, with 
the exception of three of the ladies, who suffered from 
the new acquaintance formed with the ocean, although 
the sea was as smooth as the North river. At eleven 
o’clock divine service was performed in the saloon, and 
attended by many of the officers and crew of the ship. 
In view of the long period of intimate association we 
were likely to spend on board the yacht, the text se¬ 
lected for the occasion was one of a practical cha¬ 
racter,—Proverbs 16 : 32. “ He that is slow to anger 
is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit 
than he that taketh a city.” The singing was fine, 
and the accompaniment of the piano very acceptable. 
The log of the ship this day recorded two hundred and 
seventy-two miles. 

The 23rd was a bright, fine day, and the run of the 
yacht two hundred and seventy-eight miles,—the wind 
abaft, and a little more sea on, causing her to roll. 
We passed the ship Sharon, of Bath; we gave her 
three hearty cheers, and she returned the compliment 
by lowering her flag. 

24th.—Our run was two hundred and sixty miles. 
At seven minutes past seven a.m., we stopped one 
hour to key up. All day amused by vast shoals of 
porpoises playing close around us, and nearly touching 
our wheels. 

25th.—Two hundred and seventy miles. In the 
night we crossed the banks of Newfoundland; the day 
was slightly foggy, the sea like a mirror, with a per¬ 
ceptible ground-swell. In the morning, between two 


LAND-BIRD—CONCERTS. 


13 


and three, we passed and spoke the Mary Crocker, of 
Bath, from Liverpool, bound to Philadelphia ; we glided 
close by her stem. Soon after daylight, a small land- 
bird flew on board; it appeared quite exhausted. Poor 
thing ! it had lost its way, and here it was almost mid¬ 
ocean. We fed it with crumbs and seed, and it seemed 
nearly disposed to form an acquaintance with our ca¬ 
nary-bird. A recent traveller, in recording a similar 
event, says, very beautifully, of a stray bird, “ Is it not 
an epitome of man when he breaks the golden chords 
of that harmony which bind him to his God ? ” 

The extreme tranquillity of the ocean prevented us 
from feeling that we were at sea. The pleasant weather 
kept us much on deck, and we found constant employ¬ 
ment in gazing upon the lights and shades of the ever- 
rolling waves. Our evenings were spent very agreeably 
in listening to music from the ladies. We had a fine & 
piano, and several of the party possessed vocal powers 
of a high order. I have rarely enjoyed a concert on 
shore as much as some of our entertainments at sea. 
One gentleman of the party possessed fine taste in 
Italian music, and several others had good voices, and 
our concerts would have been respectable on shore; 
but at sea they were marvellously well received by a 
gratified audience. The ladies were always in voice, 
and many a song I heard on the ocean - wave will 
long dwell upon the ear of memory. The sailors, too, 
were decidedly fond of negro melody. One of them, 
who answered to the euphonious name of “Pogee,” 
was, I think, quite equal to the Christy Minstrels. 
Every evening, he made plenty of amusement for all 
hands; and many a merry group have I seen gathered 
round him to listen to “Jordan am a hard road to 
trabel, I believe.” 

26th.—The ship’s run was two hundred and eighty- 
five miles. Exchanged signals with the ship Charlotte 
Harrison. Her decks crowded with emigrants. Day 
overcast. 

c 


14 


COMFORT AND LUXURY OF VOYAGE. 


27th.—No observation by sun. The calculation of 
the log was two hundred and sixty-five miles. This 
day our bird left us. Saw several vessels. 

28th.—We made three hundred miles, and had a 
fine breeze. The day charming. 

29th.—Sunday. Our ship’s reckoning was three 
hundred and thirty-seven miles. After a thick night, 
the sun rose clear. Attended divine service. 

This was a great day’s work. Our average revolu¬ 
tions fourteen and one-half. No doubt exists that we 
could have made three hundred and sixty miles, had 
the effort been put forth. The Baltic, on a trip from 
Liverpool to New York, once made three hundred and 
thirty-six miles ; but the difference of time in her favor 
was twenty-eight and one-half minutes, making her 
running time twenty-four hours, twenty-eight minutes, 
thirty seconds. Whereas we were going east, and so 
lost twenty-eight and one-half minutes on our twenty-^ 
four hours. Giving the North Star the benefit of this 
calculation, and our twenty-four hours affords a run of 
three hundred and forty-four miles. It will astonish 
many to learn that the consumption of coal this day 
was only forty-two tons, by the engineer’s register. 

In relation to the style of living on board the 
steamer, I may say that, with all our knowledge of 
the splendid accommodations of the ship when we 
commenced our voyage, yet I think none of the party 
expected the luxurious fare with which we were pro¬ 
vided. I hazard no contradiction from any of my 
messmates, when I say that on our voyage from New 
York to Southampton our table was equal to that of 
any hotel in America, and the desserts rivalled in rich¬ 
ness and variety anything that I have witnessed in the 
Astor, Metropolitan or Saint Nicholas. It would be 
wrong if I omitted to express my admiration of Mr. 
Vanderbilt’s kindness and bearing in the supervision of 
all our affairs. Naturally anxious for the success of 
his undertaking, he was cautious, prudent and self- 


PILOT-CHANNEL. 


15 


reliant. Often did I wish that more than the members 
of our privileged company could have seen him day by 
day, kind and attentive to his officers, polite and liberal 
to his guests. Mr. Vanderbilt I had long known to be 
possessed of great qualities, a mighty grasp of intel¬ 
lect, and capabilities of the highest order. Yet, till I 
entered upon this voyage, I did not adequately appre¬ 
ciate his knowledge of men, his fine tact, his intuitive 
perception of the fitting, and his dignified self-control; 
and I felt glad that such a man, self-made as he is, 
should be seen by the accidental sons of nobility and 
fortune in the Old World. 

Tuesday, June 1, at ten minutes past six, New York 
time, we took a pilot on board—making our voyage 
from pilot to pilot ten days, eight hours, forty minutes. 
The fellow proved to be careless and ignorant, and he 
managed to place the yacht on a bank of soft mud, not 
far from the Needles. At the flood tide we got off, 
and anchored in the night, at Southampton water. 
Our passage up the British Channel was delightful, 
giving us fine views of the English coast, including 
Cornwall, Devonshire and Dorsetshire. The opening 
up of the Bill of Portland was a noble piece of scenery, 
and all our party spent the day on deck; and as the 
day was fine, though breezy, we enjoyed every moment. 
The passage, as we passed the Needles, was deeply 
interesting; we obtained a fine view of the stupendous 
cliffs which overhang them, and admired their isolated 
situation and exceedingly picturesque form. These 
huge rocks, as well as the awful cliffs, seem to be 
composed of a pearly-colored chalk. 


16 


CHAPTER III. 


SOUTHAMPTON — SCENERY — HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS — STEAM PACKET 
COMPANIES — HIGH-STREET — AMERICAN VICE-CONSUL, MR. COX — 
DOCKS — STEAMERS — REV. THOMAS ADKINS — ARRIVE IN LONDON— 
QUEEN’S DRAWING-ROOM — OBJECTS OE CURIOSITY, ETC. — HYDE 
PARK—KENSINGTON GARDENS—REGENT’S PARK—VISITS TO WEST¬ 
MINSTER AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES—WINDSOR—HAMPTON COURT 
— BRISTOL — CLIFTON AND VICINAGE—TINTERN — HENBURY AND 
COTTAGES — LOCAL SCENERY — BERKELEY CASTLE — GLOUCESTER— 
CHELTENHAM—ENGLISH COUNTRY SCENERY. 

It was one of England’s most joyous, brilliant 
mornings, when we woke up and gazed out upon as 
richly cultivated a landscape as the southern coast o£ 
Britain can present. Directly before us lay the ancient 
town of Southampton, which is situated upon a pro¬ 
montory, formed by the confluence of the small rivers 
Test and Itchen. A gradual ascent leads towards the 
north. The tide flows to some distance above the 
town, and the noble estuary, known as the Southamp- 
ton-water, extends several miles below, and affords 
convenient anchorage to shipping at all states of the 
tide, while the charming Isle of Wight constitutes an 
immense breakwater, and protects it from the rage of 
ocean storms. The salubrity of this region has estab¬ 
lished its reputation as a watering-place; and the cli¬ 
mate being so mild and dry, it has been a popular 
resort for invalids afflicted with pulmonic affections. 
Very numerous instances of benefit to those who have 
suffered from bronchial irritation are reported. It is a 
matter of notoriety that all epidemics have assumed a 
milder form in this vicinity than in most other places. 
Dr. Granville, in his capital work on the Spas of Eng- 


SCENERY—HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS. 17 

land, awards high commendation to this town as a 
resort for the weak, and speaks of its gravelly soil and 
its fine dry walks. The approach to Southampton 
from the water presents a pleasing landscape. The 
churches, towers and spires on the central point, with 
the rivers on either side winding into the distant, ob¬ 
scure grey, and the fine woodlands of the New Forest, 
with the beautiful villas off to the left, and the noble 
ruins of Netley Abbey at the right, combine to delight 
the eye ; and on few spots can a weary voyager land in 
Great Britain with more pleasurable emotions than at 
this venerable town. It was here that Dr. Watts was 
born, and, gazing upon the fair prospect beyond the 
water in front of the town, he wrote the well-known 
and exquisite stanza :— 

“ Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood 
Stand dressed in living green." 

It was on this very beach that Canute rebuked his 
sycophantic courtiers, as the advancing tide approached 
the Danish monarch. From this port the army of 
Henry Y. sailed to France when he attempted the con¬ 
quest of that country. And a still more important his¬ 
torical event is associated with Southampton, and one 
that must ever make it an interesting place to New 
England men; it was from this town that our Pilgrim 
Fathers sailed in the Mayflower, when they commenced 
the voyage of destiny, to found a commonwealth which 
is now exerting an influence all over the globe. I 
should mention that all around are to be traced the re¬ 
mains of Koman works; close by was their greai Camp, 
Clausentum. For many years Southampton was a re¬ 
markably still, quiet place ; but it has undergone a vast 
change in a few years, by the construction of railroads 
and docks. The steam-packet companies, Oriental, 
West-India, and South-western, have selected this as 
their port for passage to the Mediterranean, West 
India and American ports; and a busy sight it is to 
see the arrival and departure of the immense steamers. 


18 AMERICAN VICE CONSUL— DOCKS. 

We found several fine hotels; one, styled the New 
York Hotel, had the star-spangled banner displayed for 
our special accommodation. Some of our gentlemen, 
who repaired to it for a lunch on shore, were not very 
favourably impressed with it. Eadley’s Hotel, near 
the railroad, and I think the Dolphin, are well-kept 
houses. 

I hardly know a town that can show a more beauti¬ 
ful main street than Southampton, except it be Oxford, 
The High-street opens from the quay, and under va¬ 
rious names it winds in a gently-sweeping line for one 
mile and a half, and is of a very handsome width. The 
variety of style and color of material in the buildings 
affords an exhibition of outline, light and color, that I 
think is seldom equalled. The shops are very elegant, 
and the streets are kept exceedingly clean. In the ab¬ 
sence of Mr. McCroskey, the United States consul, we 
were visited by his obliging and polite representative, 
Mr. Cox, and Mr. Hillier, his kind assistant; and by 
his advice the North Star hauled into the docks for the 
purpose of coaling. We were much gratified by an in¬ 
spection of the docks, pierhead and quays, which are 
admirably constructed, and look as if designed to last 
for all time. The buildings around the quays are in 
fine taste; and we observed one in particular, a hand¬ 
some erection of the Italian style, belonging to the 
Eoyal Yacht Club. From the officers of this club we 
received a polite invitation to visit their house and use 
their rooms. The Plata, a large steamer of twenty- 
eight hundred tons, was lying next to the North Star. 
She had just returned from the West Indies or Brazil, 
and had lost several persons by yellow fever. Close by 
us were the Oronoka, a fine steamer, just ready for sea, 
and the Indus. All these were first-class steamers. 
Here, too, was the old Great Western, so familiar to 
New Yorkers, undergoing repairs, which seemed really 
necessary. A steam frigate came into the dock to re¬ 
ceive part of a regiment bound to a foreign port. The 



REV. THOMAS ADKINS. 


19 


soldiers, as they marched along the dock, looked like fine 
fellows, and many of them had their wives to embarkwith 
them. Thirty years had passed away since I had 
visited this town, and I almost dreaded to call on my 
former acquaintances, lest I should feel how the march 
of time had left its footsteps and impressions. I called 
on the ltev. Thomas Adkins, the Independent minister, 
who settled over his congregation in 1810. I well re¬ 
membered his manly form and his noble bearing, and, 
as I approached his residence, I told the ladies that 
Mr. Adkins used to be regarded as one of the noblest- 
looking men in England. We found him at home, and 
1 was delighted and astonished to perceive how very 
gently age had touched his princely form. He cer¬ 
tainly was the finest-looking man I saw in England, of 
his age ; and our ladies thought him one of the most 
splendid men they had ever seen. Mr. Adkins and his 
wife visited us on board the yacht, and we passed a 
very pleasant hour in conversation respecting friends of 
other days, most of whom are removed from the present 
state. Mr. Adkins has a large congregation, and his 
townsmen are justly proud of his talents and finished 
character as a Christian gentleman. The church under 
the pastoral care of this gentleman dates its origin to 
the important year 1688. We saw less of my vener¬ 
able friend than we should have done, as he was just 
on the eve of setting out on his summer excursion to 
France. In the evening, a party from the ship rode 
through the town and round its environs. I do not be- 
lieve that the ladies will soon forget the delight which 
they experienced from their first sight of the cottages and 
villas of the suburban region of Southampton. The 
next morning, June 2, we took the train to London, at 
eleven o’clock, a.m. We had a good view of Winches¬ 
ter, and its noble cathedral; and some of the party 
visited the grand old city, and partook of the hospita¬ 
lity of Mr. Alderman Andrews, whose name is so 


20 


ARRIVAL IN LONDON. 


endeared to Americans. We arrived at London at two 
o’clock. As it happened to be a Queen’s Drawing¬ 
room that- day, we found the city in a high state of 
excitement, and the hotels thronged. Seldom have I 
known so much difficulty in obtaining accommodation; 
and, as our party was a large one, it was no easy mat¬ 
ter to find quarters for all in one hotel. I was anxious 
to get in at my old favourite house, the Golden Cross, 
Charing Cross, nearly opposite to Northumberland 
House; but Mr. Gardiner was unable to take even half 
our number. We at last established ourselves at St. 
James’s Hotel, in Jermyn-street, and found good ac¬ 
commodations. Two or three noblemen reside in this 
hotel; and one, Lord Blayney, has made it his city 
residence for many years. Our friends, who were in 
London for the first time, were greatly delighted with 
the extraordinary display of equipage occasioned by the 
Drawing-room. Every street was thronged with car¬ 
riages waiting for their turn to take up the company at 
the Palace. The coachmen and footmen all had im¬ 
mense bouquets in their bosoms, and the splendid 
liveries and powdered heads and white wigs of the dri¬ 
vers were novelties to most of the North Star party. I 
was anxious to know what would be the first object of 
curiosity to the ladies, and not a little surprised to find 
that the Thames Tunnel was voted for as our primary 
visit. The morning was devoted to it, and a visit to 
the Tower, the Monument, and St. Paul’s Cathedral. 
This last edifice was so lumbered up witli scaffolding 
erected for the great gathering of the school-boys, held 
on the 1st of June, that we had but a very poor view 
of the noble sanctuary. By the way, after visiting 
almost every celebrated religious temple of Europe, [ am 
satisfied that St. Paul’s Cathedral is kept in the worst 
condition of any that I have seen. Its statuary has on it 
the thick dust of long, long years ; and the general in¬ 
ternal appearance of the church is discreditable to the 


HYDE PARK. 


21 


nation. My impressions in reference to this cathedral 
are gathered from frequent previous visits, and have 
nothing to do with its condition at this time. 

After dinner we rode to Hyde Park, and there we 
were amused with a spectacle that can be witnessed 
nowhere else. Hundreds, and I may say thousands, 
were taking their accustomed rides, and we had a good 
opportunity to see the ladies, gentlemen, horses and 
carriages, of London and England. The horses we 
thought, on the whole, not what we had expected, but 
there were some very noble animals; the ladies ap¬ 
peared to great advantage, but we thought that the 
gentlemen certainly might improve in horsemanship. 

London is indeed to be envied for the possession of 
her parks; they are her gems, her crowning glory, in 
my esteem. Three hundred and forty-nine acres, and 
close to the brick and mortar, and noise and turmoil, 
of this great Babel! This park has a great entrance 
from Piccadilly, by fine arched gateways, with a lodge, 
and several other approaches from Oxford-street, Bays- 
water, Kensington, and Kniglitsbridge. The park is 
laid out with noble walks, and spacious drives, in 
which only private carriages are admissible. Erom 
April to July, between five, and seven p.m., the scene 
presented is very gay and attractive. A road called 
Rotten Row is kept exclusively for the use of eques¬ 
trians ; it is nearly two miles long, and is covered with 
fine loose gravel. In the park is the beautiful sheet of 
water known as the Serpentine, and at its junction with 
Kensington Gardens is an elegant stone bridge. The 
Serpentine extends over, 1 think, not less than fifty 
acres, and early in the morning it affords fine bathing 
to hundreds of the citizens of London. The noble old 
trees of this park are worthy objects of admiration. I 
like to stand on the high ground near the Edgeware 
road, and catch glimpses of the river through the forest 
trees, while off to the south are seen the Surrey Hills, 
and church-spires and antique towers on all sides, and 


22 


KENSINGTON GARDENS—KEGEKT’s PARK. 


line mansions peeping from the trees. Here, too, are 
often witnessed the reviews of the troops stationed in 
the metropolis. I spoke of Kensington Gardens: 
these a±e a continuation of Hyde Park, and embrace 
three hundred acres. In 1550, all these six hundred 
and forty-nine acres were a royal enclosure, and stocked 
with game, and Majesty hunted for pastime. It was 
appropriated in 1851 to a nobler end; and here was 
the most popular gathering that England ever witnessed 
at the Great Exhibition. Our rides through the Re¬ 
gent’s Park, which contains four hundred and fifty 
acres, afforded us much enjoyment. The villas and 
terraces which have been built during the last fifteen 
years are exquisite specimens of architecture, Here 
are the Zoological gardens and the Colloseum. No 
foreigner should fail to visit this noble park; and 
here I think he will gain his best estimate of the beauty 
and elegance of English city life, as it is enjoyed by 
the opulent. The long walk, with its four fines of elm- 
trees, is a remarkable avenue. 

We made very interesting visits to Westminster 
Abbey, the new Houses of Parliament, Bank of Eng¬ 
land, Royal Exchange, British Museum, Buckingham 
Palace, and other great objects of curiosity in London; 
and excursions w T ere made to Hampton Court, Windsor 
Castle, Richmond, &c. 

Several members of the party left London for other 
places. Some went to Liverpool, and others to Bristol, 
Clifton, Bath, Gloucester, and Cheltenham. I cannot 
omit mention of a rapid visit which I made to my 
native city, and where I had the good fortune to arrive 
just in time to join a large family party at dinner, 
enabling me to meet those with whom I must other¬ 
wise have left England without enjoying an interview. 
Bristol is a glorious old city; it is full of history; not 
a street, a church, a hill (and, like Rome, it has seven 
hills), but is identified with other days, and days of 
note. It boasts of Roman settlement; figured largely 


BRISTOL—CLIFTON AND VICINAGE. 23 

in the wars of the barons ; was the birth-place of 
Sebastian Cabot; was a great bone of contention be¬ 
tween Royalists and Parliamentarians; was the scene 
of poor Naylor’s judicial tortures, and Judge Jeffries’ 
cruelties ; the home of Chatterton, Southey, Coleridge, 
Cottle, Hannah More, Robert Hall, Richard Reynolds, 
William Thorp, I)r. Ryland, Bird, the artist, Bayley, 
the sculptor; was represented in Parliament’ by Ed¬ 
mund Burke; was burned and sacked by the rioters 
in 1831; and is the abode of more Christian charities 
than any other city I know, excepting Boston and New 
York. Here is the great boast of the west of England,— 
the unrivalled parish church of St. Mary Redcliffe. This 
venerable pile is undergoing a thorough renovation. It 
contains the monument and grave of Admiral Penn, 
father of the founder of Pennsylvania. In the evening— 
our only one—we took a carriage to visit Clifton, on the 
banks of the Avon, with its unequalled scenery of St. 
Vincent’s Rocks, the Down, Hotwells, Heubury and 
Blaise Hamlet. I have no knowledge of any spot on 
earth that can furnish a ride of such beauty in five 
hours. Prom the hill at Kingsweston we looked down 
upon the winding Avon, saw its junction with the 
“ Severn swift,” gazed upon the Welsh Plills, Bristol 
Channel, and took a look over at the mouth of the Wye 
and Wynd Cliffe, close by which is Tintern Abbey, the 
shrine of beauty at which my boyish devours were 
often paid. Tintern is the grandest ecclesiastical ruin 
in Europe, and Mr. Webster regarded it as alone suf¬ 
ficient to recompense a traveller for crossing the ocean 
to pay it a visit. I never heard the great man more 
eloquent than one day, after his return from Europe, 
when he conversed upon the abbey and its vicinage. 
The Wye had filled the sportsman’s eye, and the beau¬ 
ties of the works of religion and art had animated his 
mind. I remember he expressed the wish that he 
could have had gathered round him, when he stood at 
Tintern, all he loved. Henbury, about four miles from 


24 HENBURY COTTAGES—BLAISE HAMLET. 

Bristol, is one of England’s most beautiful villages; 
it looks full of peace, contentment, elegance, and 
virtue. Here is Blaise Castle, the residence of John 
Scandret Harford, a man of large fortune, fine literary 
taste, and great eloquence, and, what is more and better 
than all, a Christian man. In many respects he re¬ 
sembles our own Everett. From his domain the eve 

* 

drinks in scenes of paradisiac beauty. In the distance 
are ridge upon ridge of mountain ranges off in Mon¬ 
mouthshire, bold and green, then dimly blue. In the 
village, the munificence of this gentleman has laid out 
ten cottages of great taste, known as Blaise Hamlet, 
and which are the residences of ladies of decayed 

4 / 

fortune; such another group of sweet rural homes 
England cannot show. 0, the happy hours of my 
boyhood that I have passed in this village, on the 
Avon’s banks ! and what tea-drinkings have Bliad in 
these cottages, and in the arbors which surround them ! 
I really believe that, either from the impressions which 
I received in childhood in this glorious region, or from 
some peculiar organization, I have felt so much delight 
in rambling abroad among scenes of beauty, sublimity, 
and historical interest. Nor do I regret a wayside 
wandering I have ever made. I am sure that Words¬ 
worth spoke like a prophet when he said, 

“ And not unrecompensed the man shall roam, 

Who, to converse with Nature, quits his home.” 

Why there are hundreds of nooks and dells, ingles 
and hillsides, lanes and orchardings, streams and lakes, 
mountains and cataracts, mapped into my very sold; 
and often do I get their latitudes and longitudes in 
solitary hours and in night seasons. I do not repent 
me that these witching charms have led me off from 
the turnpike road of life as by a magic spell. Yes, 
long years ago, when I have listened to the thrush and 
blackbird in this same village, I have blessed the man 
who helped to make the region have so much of heaven 


GLOUCESTERSHIRE. 


25 


in its pathways. I feel young again as I walk through 
woods and vales where I learned to be what I am. 

These cottages are all different in style, and either 
of them would form an admirable lodge for a gentle¬ 
man’s estate. I took the pains and expense to obtain 
drafts of the ground plans of all of them, with a plot 
of the group entire. O, that some of our wealthy men 
would adorn the neighbourhood of our cities with so 
much of beauty and the sweet charity of life ! From 
Bristol we took our route through Gloucestershire, for 
Cheltenham. The county of Gloucestershire is re¬ 
nowned for its scenery, and nowhere can the traveller 
find so much manufacturing interest united with more 
perfect rural beauty than he meets with in the rail-car 
between Bristol and Gloucester. The factory and its 
operatives are planted on the edges of hills, under the 
wings of woods, amid honeysuckles, laburnums, gilli- 
flowers, and jessamines; all around are running brooks 
and singing birds and busy bees. And what roads and 
lanes of beauty !-—-and then the exquisite mingling up 
of gorse, and bloom, and heath, and fern! Talk of 
cottages !—come and see the laboring man’s cottage on 
these hill-sides. There are flowers all round his door, 
ivy trailing to the gable-ridges, fruit-trees right and 
left, and one side of the house is pretty sure to have 
a pear-tree trained all over it. No man understands 
the thousand beauties of Great Britain who does not 
wander through her inland counties, and tramp through 
the unnumbered old roads that lead to nowhere . 

We passed by Berkeley’s flinty towers, where Eng¬ 
land’s king died at the command of his cruel queen, 
Isabella, the she-wolf of France. This castle will 
well repay a visit from the tourist. I am familiar with 
it, and know few places more deserving notice. The 
private chapel is one of the oldest in the kingdom, and 
in the mansion are capital pictures by Jansen, Holbein, 
Lely, and Vandyke; while few collections can show 
better specimens of Claude Lorraine, Salvator Rosa, 

D 


26 


GLOUCESTER—CHELTENHAM. 


Ostade Wouvermans, Peter Keefs, Both, and Leonard 
da Vinci. Those who are pleased with old furniture 
will have a treat in this castle. One cabinet of oak is 
thought to be unsurpassed; and here, too, are the 
sofa, chairs and bedstead, which were the cabin furni¬ 
ture of Sir Francis Drake in his famous voyage round 
the world. Close to the church-yard stands Chantry 
Cottage, the residence of the immortal Jenner. 

Gloucester is a staid, respectable little city; and, 
like all cathedral towns, contains a decent share of 
pompous complacency. A recent increase of business 
has come to this place by railroad communication and 
enlargement of her access to the ocean, by which it has 
become a port of entry. This city has a pleasant site 
on the east bank of the Severn, and has four hue 
streets, which proceed from the centre of thj? town. 
The cathedral is a noble edifice, and was originally the 
convent church of a Benedictine abbev, which was 
erected in the early part of the eleventh century. The 
choir of this church is, perhaps, the finest specimen of 
the florid style of architecture in the kingdom. The 
building is rich in monuments; and among the more 
recent ones are those to the memory of Jenner, who 
introduced vaccination as an antidote to the sad malady 
of the small-pox; and Robert Raikes, who founded 
Sunday-schools. Gloucester took a decided stand 
against Charles I. in the civil wars; and Charless II., 
on his restoration, ordered the walls of the city to be 
demolished. 

Cheltenham is a modern place. It has grown up in 
the present century, and presents more of the appear¬ 
ance of progress and improvement than most English 
towns. Its newness reminds one of an American town 
or city. It is renowned for its medicinal springs, and, 
like our Saratoga, is much resorted to by the fashion¬ 
able. Our object in visiting Cheltenham was to pay 
our respects to a family from whom, in 1836, we had 
received great kindness and attention; and our short 


RURAL SCENERY OF ENGLAND. 


27 


tarry was a very delightful one, enabling us to recall 
days of pleasure which we often think of in our western 
home. 

The ride from Cheltenham to Swindon, where we 
took the Great Western Railroad, is through a lovely 
piece of country. We were delighted with 1 lie snug¬ 
ness and comfort of the dwellings of the gentry; and 
all the cottages, excepting of the very poorest class, 
presented something attractive. We noticed high- 
fenced fields all fringed with noble trees; houses 
buried up in shrubberies and clumps of forest wood; 
beautiful cattle browsing in rich pasturage; and all 
this often in the smallest space, so that a glance of the 
eye takes in the entire picture. The constant green of 
England is to me the great charm of her natural 
scenery ; it is like the smile on woman’s face, giving 
expression to every change of feature. I am sure that 
these exquisite snuggeries must exert a favourable in¬ 
fluence upon the domestic qualities; and much of the 
simplicity of English character may be traced to the 
prevailing love of rural life. You may travel all over 
Europe, and find no such homes as are everywhere to 
be met with in England. You have a sense of tran¬ 
quillity, and the spots are favourable to thought. I 
love the pleasures of city life, and I know that art, 
science, intellect, literature, are in a great metropolis,— 
it is the royal exchange for the human mind. I ap¬ 
preciate libraries and lectures, collections, galleries, and 
museums ; but still, when I enjoy the shade of vener¬ 
able elms in a fine old farm-house, on the banks of a 
river which almost washes its walls, and gaze out on 
the garniture of hill and vales, I am conscious of plea¬ 
sure which London or New York cannot afford. What 
we sadly want, in our happy and glorious country, is 
to circumscribe the beautiful, and learn the knack of 
creating rural scenery on a small scale in our seques¬ 
tered villas and cottages. 


28 


CHAPTER IV. 

HON. AND REV. BAPTIST NOEL—MB. GEORGE PEABODY—OPERA—DINNER 
AT RICHMOND—HON. STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS—RECEPTION-NIGHT AT 
HON. J. R. INGERSOLL’S, THE AMERICAN MINISTER—THE LORD 
MAYOR’S SOIREE — MR. DEPUTY BENOCH — THOMAS PRICE, LL.D.— 
TOOVEY’S BOOKSTORE—DEPUTATION FBOM SOUTHAMPTON—TONE OP 
ENGLISH FEELING TOWARDS THE UNITED STATES — AN ENGLISH 
TRAVELLER—STREET AMUSEMENTS—SCENE IN AN OMNIBUS. 

On our first Sunday morning’ in London, a party was 
formed to hear the Hon. and Rev. Baptist Ntfel, brother 
to the Earl of Gainsborough. Mr. Noel was formerly 
chaplain to the Queen ; but, a few years ago, he became 
a dissenter. He preaches in a very plain meeting-house, 
formerly occupied by the Rev. John Harrington Evans, 
also a Baptist dissenter from the national establishment. 
The place of worship will accommodate about one 
thousand persons, when the galleries are filled. The 
congregation is large. We found every seat filled, and 
benches in the aisles. Mr. Noel is about fifty-four 
years of age, and looks much younger. He is a fine 
figure, and has a resemblance to the engraving of Bishop 
Heber. The singing was congregational, without any 
organ ; all present seemed to unite, and the effect was 
excellent. The tunes were such as every one recog¬ 
nized. I remember that Oswestry, and Helmsley, were 
used that morning. We were much gratified with the 
prayer offered. It was utterly slow ; the petitions were 
very minute and definite; and there was a decided 
avoidance of anything like set phrases. 

The text was in the fifth chapter of the first Epistle 
to the Thessalonians, from first to the filth verse : “ But 


MR. GEORUE PEABODY OF LONDON. 


29 


of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need 
that I write unto you,” &c. The congregation seemed 
furnished with Bibles, and every one appeared to turn 
to the text. The discourse was expository; and not 
often have I listened to such a noble specimen of 
lecturing from the desk. I have beared this preacher 
when he was far more eloquent, but never when he ap¬ 
peared to finer advantage as a religious instructor. 

We left St. John’s Chapel much pleased with its dis¬ 
tinguished minister, and we should all like to listen 
again to his solemn teachings. 

One of the first persons to call upon Mr. Vanderbilt 
and his family in London was our distinguished fellow- 
citizen, Mr. George Peabody, whose generous hospi¬ 
tality to his countrymen has rendered him so well known 
to hundreds who have visited the metropolis. Possessed 
of ample means, this gentleman delights in paying 
attentions to all who come to him with proper claims 
upon his notice. Probably no American resident in 
England has done as much as Mr. Peabody in bringing 
the best men of England and America together, and 
thus cementing a strong national friendly feeling. The 
celebration of the fourth of July, 1851, by Mr. 
Peabody, when he entertained a thousand guests, and 
had among them the Duke of Wellington, and many 
others of the peerage, was a measure that, a few years 
ago, would hardly have been anticipated ; and, indeed, 
cautious folks dissuaded the large-hearted man from 
attempting it. Mr. P. proffered Mr. and Mrs. Van¬ 
derbilt and ladies the use of his boxes that evening at 
the opera, and as long as they remained in town. The 
following notice of the opera was furnished me by the 
kindness of one of the gentlemen of our party, who 
was present. 

“ OPERA IN LONDON. 

“Meyerbeer’s great opera, ‘Les Huguenots,’ was 
represented at Covent Garden. It was the height of 


30 


OPERA. 


the season; a large and fashionable assemblage filled 
the house; England’s favorite, Queen Victoria, and 
Prince Albert, were there, and many of the fairest and 
noblest of the land; yet we were disappointed. The 
spectacle was not so gorgeous and brilliant as we had 
expected on a court-night,—neither in the first coup 
d’ceil , the beauty of the ladies, nor the elegance of 
their toilet. The theatre is vast, and handsomely 
decorated; but the boxes, being very deep, and parti¬ 
tioned off all the way up, conceal half the occupants, 
and present an air of heaviness. The queen and her 
suite occupied three double boxes, on the left side of 
the stage. She came in shortly after the overture was 
played. There was no ostentation in her manner, and 
no recognition by the audience of the presence of 
majesty. The royal fauteuil, placed in the centre of 
the box, did not seem to please her; and*, declining the 
proffered aid of the lords-in-waiting, she, with perfect 
nonchalance, rose, and drew another chair from the 
back to the front, and seated herself. The queen is 
very robust and youthful-looking. She wore a rich 
white dress, exceedingly decolte , covered with point 
lace, and one ornament of great value—a magnificent 
pearl—on the stomacher. She wore no diadem, or 
insigna. 

“ Prince Albert is a tall, stout-looking man, light- 
haired, and partially bald. His appearance was any¬ 
thing but aristocratic, notwithstanding he exhibited a 
large star on his left breast, and a wide crimson silk 
riband over a white waistcoat. The queen and her 
royal consort were very quiet, and attentive to the per¬ 
formance. They left, shortly before it terminated, with 
as little ceremony as they had entered. 

“ We searched scrutinizingly among the noble circles 
to discover something in form or feature marking the 
stamp of hereditary nobility; but in vain. There were 
some exceptions, though not numerous enough to 
characterize the mass ; and we concluded that, divested 


mr. peabody's dinner. 31 

of their rank and privileges, they were only common 
clay, after all. 

“The opera was glorious. The whole ‘get up’ was 
grand, far surpassing anything ever seen in America;— 
the scenery well painted, and admirably illustrative of 
the times represented; the stage business thoroughly 
managed ; a powerful and efficient chorus; a numerous 
and exquisitely-trained orchestra, led by the famous 
Costa, and the principal roles sung and acted by Grisi, 
Mario, Castellan, Formes, and Belletti. Some of us, 
who had heard Grisi a dozen years before, remarked 
that her voice had measurably lost its freshness and 
volume, while her figure had gained in stoutness. But 
the irresistible attractions of her sublime declamation, 
her impassioned acting, and the enchanting tenderness 
of her smile, remained with undiminished power. 
Mario has the loveliest voice ever heard in man, at the 
same time virile and sonorous. He is still in the prime 
of his remarkable manly beauty, and still, without com¬ 
peer, the first tenor in the world. Castellan has not 
improved since she visited America. Her singing is 
flexible and brilliant, cold and unsympathetic. Formes 
—now that Lablache’s once Titan powers are on the 
wane-—stands at the head of all bassos. His voice is 
very remarkable,—the most powerful in the low notes, 
and the deepest, known; it moves, as it were, in solid 
squares. Belletti, Jenny Lind’s favorite singer, took 
the part of San Bris. For him it was an ungracious 
role, and he did not show to advantage. It was mainly 
recitative. We missed those beautiful cantabile airs 
which, in the concert-room, made him the unrivalled 
baritone. The opera in London is a wonderful perform - 
ance; the audiences there are more appreciative than 
in the New World, and the tout ensemble produces an 
effect impossible to conceive from any description.” 

Four of our party accepted an invitation to dine with 
Mr. Peabody at .Richmond, to meet Mr. Senator Douglas, 
who, like ourselves, was taking a tour of observation. 


32 


RICHMOND—HON. J. R. 1NGERSOLL. 


No one who has read much respecting England can fail 
to know that Richmond has long been renowned for its 
exquisite scenery. It was called by the Saxons the 
“ Skene” or beautiful. Thomson, the poet of the Sea¬ 
sons, wrote many of his sweetest descriptions while 
staying in this place; and his immortal poem is almost 
a panorama of the scenery for ten miles around. On 
the hill the spectator obtains a view of the most im¬ 
pressive panorama of English landscape which the 
country affords. I would advise all travellers, who can 
afford the time, to devote a day or two to this vicinity. 
In Richmond Park there are the pleasantest walks, and 
oaks which might awaken the devotion of a Druid; 
and the American tourist is reminded of the oak-opening 
in Michigan. The traveller will not fail to be charmed 
with Kingston, Ditton, Hampton Court, and Bushy 
Park. The dinner was an elegant repast, and we met 
at table a number of our countrymen whom it was a 
pleasure to meet;—among others, Gen. Cooper, of New 
York,—who, with his family, have made a very extended 
European tour,—Captain Eolsom, &c. Mr. Douglas 
made a very sensible and eloquent reply-speech ; and 
I think that all who were present were much gratified 
with his practical, enlightened, and patriotic views. 
Our minister at the court of London—the Hon. Joseph 
R. Ingersoll—held a levee during our stay in town, to 
which Mr. Vanderbilt, and his friends received an invi¬ 
tation. The attendance was large, and the party a very 
fashionable one. The display of diamonds was very 
brilliant. General attention was directed to Mr. Van- 
bilt, who was quite the man of the occasion; and all 
seemed desirous to obtain an introduction to one whose 
excursion was the great topic of newspaper corres¬ 
pondence and general conversation. Mr. Ingersoll was 
very courteous, and, with his accomplished niece, Miss 
W ilcox, seemed desirous to render useverv facility to 
make our visit in London agreeable. At this entertain¬ 
ment many of the nobility expressed an earnest wish 


LORD MAYOR-PARTY AT MANSION HOUSE. 33 

that Mr. Vanderbilt would bring his yacht round to the 
Thames, and enable the fashionable world, then, of 
course, in London, to visit the North Star. Mr. V. 
would have been glad to gratify these requests; but he 
had no desire to take a step which might appear like 
ostentation, and, moreover, he feared that the steamer 
would probably meet with obstructions in the river. 

On the 8th of June Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt, and 
several members of their family, attended a soiree, at 
the Mansion House, to which we had been politely 
invited by the Lord Mayor. This was a favorable 
occasion to observe the splendour of a London civic 
entertainment. The magnificent apartments are worthy 
of England’s metropolis. We were courteously re¬ 
ceived by the chief magistrate and the Lady Mayoress. 

The Lord Mayor, this year, is the Right Honorable 
Thomas Challis, a wealthy merchant in hides, and a 
member of Parliament. This gentlemen is a dis¬ 
tinguished dissenter, and belongs to the body of Chris¬ 
tians known as “ The Connection of the late Countess 
of Huntingdon.” His lordship is the treasurer of the 
college at Cheshunt, where the clergy of this denomi¬ 
nation receive their theological training. On this 
occasion there were, probably, some twelve or fifteen 
hundred persons present, including the Archbishop of 
Canterbury and seven other prelates, several members 
of the British cabinet, and a large number of the 
peerage. The party embraced many distinguished 
literary men, and Mr. Carlyle had many attentions 
shown him. The ball-room over the great Egyptian 
hall was filled with a unique collection of educational 
apparatus; and this had been placed here for the 
examination of the party, many of whom were dele¬ 
gates from all parts of the kingdom, attending a great 
educational meeting. A more interesting spectacle 
than was here afforded can hardly be imagined; and, 
with such means and appliances as we saw, the schools 
of Great Britain must be in a prosperous condition. 


34 


DR. COX—DR. PRICE. 


Maps, charts, globes and philosophical apparatus, 
were everywhere to be seen; and the access to the 
room was crowded quite as densely as that leading to 
the place for refreshment. Among other distinguished 
visitors, I noticed Miss Greenfield, the “ Black Swan,” 
who was attended by a colored gentleman. 

It would be wrong to omit mention of our obligations 
to Mr. Deputy Benocli, whose polite attentions will be 
long remembered by many of the North Star party. 
This gentleman was exceedingly kind in pointing out 
the notables assembled. 

I felt pained at the necessity imposed upon me to be 
apparently neglectful of many dear and valued friends 
in London and its neighbourhood; but a stay limited 
to ten or twelve days, and many of which were en¬ 
tirely due to those of the party who were in London 
for the first time, precluded the possibility of calling 
on many whom 1 longed to see. 

We visited the Rev. Dr. Cox, of Hackney,—so well 
known in America from his visit, in company with Dr. 
Hoby, in 1835. We found the venerable man in 
usual health, and little supposed that his death was so 
near an event. On our arrival at New York, we 
learned that he died September 5th. 

We had the pleasure to spend some delightful hours 
with Thomas Price, LL P., the distinguished editor 
of the Eclectic Review, one of the ablest English pe¬ 
riodicals, and which always has in its support the 
ablest pens of the liberal party. In this review 
appeared the best productions of the late John Foster. 
I made several agreeable lounges at the great book¬ 
stores of London, and Avas especially delighted Avith 
the glorious collection of old books at Mr. Toovey’s, 
42, Piccadilly. This vast library is peculiarly rich in 
works illustrative of English History, and I never met 
with so many of the county historians as are here 
gathered together. If any man wants to see the finest 
possible specimens of binding, let him call at Toovey’s, 


DEPUTATION FROM SOUTHAMPTON. 35 

where he will find the work of Lewis, Payne, Duseuil, 
Perome, Montague, Kalthceber, and all the best bind¬ 
ers of past times. On one occasion, I met with three 
distinguished bibliopolists at this shop,—Lord Hast¬ 
ings, Sir David Dundass, and Mr. Henry Foss. These 
gentlemen all spoke of the large collections of books, 
of high character, which are constantly exported to 
order from the United States, and raising the prices of 
old standard works as a consequence. It was gratify¬ 
ing to hear their remarks in relation to our United 
States ministers to the court of London. It was ob¬ 
served that no country had ever sent such a number of 
great men as the United States,—Adams, Jay, Pink- 
liey, King, Gallatin, J. Q. Adams, Rush, Bancroft, 
Everett and Ingersoll, were regarded as first-class 
men; whilst Stevenson and Abbot Lawrence have left 
an enviable reputation as gentlemen of the true old 
English school. It gave us much pleasure to meet 
with a large number of our fellow-citizens, from 
different states in the Union, while we were in Lon¬ 
don ; and they all appeared happy to pay their respects 
to one so well known at home as Mr. Vanderbilt. I 
found my old friend, the Hon. J. T. Van Allen, late 
U. S. Charge d’Affairs at Equador, still enjoying the 
best English society, and as happy as I left him in 
1851. 

While we were in this place, a deputation from 
Southampton waited on Mr. Vanderbilt, consisting of 
the mayor of the town and several members of the 
corporation ; the object of their visit was to present an 
invitation to Mr. V. and his party to partake of a 
public entertainment proffered by the principal mer¬ 
chants and tradesmen of that borough. This kind 
expression of public sentiment would have been re¬ 
spectfully declined; but it was found that such ar¬ 
rangements had already been made, that it would be 
wrong to disappoint the wishes of the good people of 
the town. 


36 ENGLISH FEELING TOWARDS THE UNITED STATES. 

I wish to offer some remarks upon the tone of 
feeling which I found prevalent in England, with those 
persons in whose society I happened to pass my time, 
in relation to the United States. There is a very 
general sentiment and pride entertained by the country 
at our wonderful success and advancement in the scale 
of nations, arising from the fact that we are of English 
origin. An Englishman loves to think that those who 
speak his language, and have the laws of his land, 
the religion of his fathers, should have in less than 
eighty years beeome a government reckoning twenty- 
five millions. He is pleased to hear of our extensive 
resources as regards variety of climate; and you can 
seldom talk with any person in England who has not a 
relative, dear friend, or former neighbor, now settled 
in the Union. If the United States should ever be 
placed in a critical position, and her interest be at 
stake, England would rise up, with the voice as of 
one man, and fly to our aid. The liberty of speech is 
quite as well understood in England as with us, and 
as freely indulged; nothing social, religious, political, 
escapes their scrutiny and discussion ; the popular mind 
has been directed to great subjects, and important 
results have been effected by public opinion. There is 
a disposition to regard all reforms as possible ; and 
the great subject of slavery is one that has taken hold 
of the public mind far more than it has ever interested 
the government. Hence all classes talk of slavery in 
America as a thing that can be reached,—ay, and 
easily. This arises from total unacquaintedness with 
the political relations of our country, and the state of 
parties in our political world. Only let an intelligent 
Englishman reside in the States a year or two, or 
travel through it, and he is almost sure to correct his 
opinions, and moderate his censures, upon this vexed 
point. We are far too sensitive about foreign sentiment 
respecting our habits, manners and institutions. Per¬ 
haps we are too exacting; we are certainly foolishly 


ENGLISH OPINIONS. 


37 


impatient under criticism, and this is eneouraged by a 
few heady, reckless men who have the control of 
newspapers, and who, by thoughtless and even wicked 
articles, strive to kindle up a bad feeling between the 
two countries, who have more in common between 
them of momentous interest than any other two nations 
on the globe. I have never known a sensible Ameri¬ 
can, who visited England, who did not leave it with 
increased respect for English character; and I am 
sure that all sensible, educated Englishmen who visit * 
our shores find enough to praise; and they would say, 

“ If we must change England for another land, let our 
homes be in America !” 

The influence of America upon Great Britain is felt 
more and more every year. Our intercourse must be 
very intimate. Not only will England need our 
cotton; she wants our wool (which she believes will 
soon be the best in the world), our wheat, our corn, 
our beef, pork, hams, cheese and butter; and, if we 
provide these things for her market, we must become 
a great manufacturing people as well, and still we 
shall be the best customer for her exports. The 
severest censures I heard upon our country came from 
men of great wisdom, and benevolence, and practical 
good sense ; and I confess that I think their remarks 

n 7 # 

have much force, and that there is too much occasion 
for their utterance. They express a fear that there is 
not in our country a sufficient pride in labor; that we 
are already regarding it with aversion, and that luxury 
is likely to be our bane. We do want more nationality, 
more patriotism ; and the people are far too prone to 
value that which has crossed the ocean to that which 
is fabricated at their own doors. A very wise and 
thinking man, who had gone through our country, 
told me in England that the most justifiable object of 
pride he saw in America, to an American, was Lowell. 
The remark was also made by this gentlemen, that in 
his visit he was grieved to find the children of men 

E 


38 STREET AMUSEMENTS—ASCOT RACES. 

who had grown rich by labor regarding all employment 
as dishonourable. Certainly our large cities do afford 
sad instances of a purse-proud spirit; and the only 
hope is, that when wealth is lavished, expended, the 
next generation must go to work again; but the con¬ 
tagion of example, and the want of virtuous and wise 
training, will first bring a sad harvest of crime, folly 
and misery, to society. 

Few things amused our party more than the out¬ 
door, street exhibitions in London. In Jermyn-street, 
directly in front of our hotel, every afternoon a set of 
men in semi-mountebank and Highland costumes went 
through all sorts of fetes, rivalling the Eavel family. 
The party consisted of three or four, and sometimes 
five. The street was regarded as their legitimate 
board, and clothes were laid down and the antics 
played off without any hindrance from tke police, who 
frequently looked on. The eyes of the performers 
were often directed to the windows of our hotel and 
one opposite; and I fancy the returns were tolerably 
satisfactory, as they came day by day. The Happy 
Family, too, proved a constant source of interest; 
while Punch and Judy proved as omnipotent in at¬ 
traction as they were in the beginning, and ever 
will be. 

Mr. Vanderbilt and some of the gentlemen attended 
the Ascot races; and, in going over from Windsor, 
they occupied seats in an omnibus, and the subject of 
conversation happened to be the American steam 
yacht at Southampton. One of the persons present 
said that he had been to see her, and gave a pretty 
glowing account of the North Star. He spoke of her 
elegance and accommodations at frill length, and then 
ended by remarking that the commodore was a wide¬ 
awake man ; that he had twelve sons on board, and 
made them work the ship ; and that he saw seven or 
eight of them rowing the barge ashore. Mr. V. and his 
son, sitting next to the speaker, smiled and laid low. 


39 


CHAPTER V. 


INTEREST EXCITED BY ARRIVAL OE THE NORTH STAR — LONDON DAILY 
NEWS — DULWICH GALLERY — MR. THOMAS COLLEY GRATTAN—A 
QUICK TRIE TO LEIPSIC—OUR RETURN TO SOUTHAMPTON—VISIT TO 
NETLEY ABBEY—HISTORICAL NOTICE—SCENERY—REV. DR. KREBBS 
— EXCURSIONS — REV. ALEXANDER MACLAREN — SERVICES OF THE 
SABBATH. 

The arrival of the North Star in England was an 
event which called out the attention of the public press 
all over the kingdom; and the London daily papers 
contained numerous descriptions of the ship, and vari¬ 
ous articles upon her proprietor and his undertaking. 
Some of them were amusing enough. The following 
article appeared in the London Daily News , June 4. 

“ A WORD ABOUT MR. VANDERBILT’S YACHT. 

“ An American merchant has just arrived in London, 
on a pleasure trip. He has come by train from South¬ 
ampton, and left his private yacht behind him in dock 
at that port. This yacht is a monster steamer. Her 
saloon is described as larger and more magnificent than 
that of any ocean steamer afloat, and is said to surpass in 
spendor the Queen’s yacht. The walls of the dining¬ 
room are clothed with a new material, resembling 
polished marble and malachite. The building of the 
vessel alone cost one hundred thousand pounds. The 
expense of keeping it up is three hundred pounds a 
week. Listening to the details of the grandeur of this 
new floating palace, it seems natural to think upon the 
riches of her owner, and to associate him with the 
Cosmo de Medicis, the Andrea Luggers, the Jaques 

e 2 


40 


LONDON DAILY NEWS. 


Occurs, the Richard Whittingtons, of the past; but 
this is wrong. Mr. Vanderbilt is a sign of the times. 
The mediceval merchants just named stood out in bold 
relief from the great society of their day. Mr. Van¬ 
derbilt is a legitimate product of his country,-—the 
Medicis, Tuggers, and others were exceptional cases 
in theirs. They were fortunate monopolists, who, by 
means of capital and crushing privileges, sucked up the 
wealth of the community. They were not a healthy 
growth, but a kind of enormous wen on the body poli¬ 
tic. It took Florence nearly fifteen centuries to produce 
one Cosmo, and she never brought forth another. 
America was not known four centuries ago ; yet she 
turns out her Vanderbilts, small and large, every year. 
America, which was only discovered by a countryman 
of Cosmo running against it by mistake on his way to 
the Indies, is the great arena in which/he individual 
energies of man, uncramped by oppressive social insti¬ 
tutions, or absurd social traditions, have full play, and 
arrive at gigantic development. It is the tendency of 
American institutions to foster the general welfare, and 
to permit the unchecked powers of the highly gifted to 
occupy a place in the general framework of society 
which they can obtain nowhere else. The great feature 
to be noticed in America is that all its citizens have full 
permission to run the race in which Mr. Vanderbilt has 
gained such immense prizes. In other countries, on 
the contrary, they are trammelled by a thousand restric¬ 
tions. Look, for instance, at the land to which the 
discoverer of America was hastening, as he thought, 
when he ran against the New World. Look at India. 
The whole wealth of the country is absorbed, and the 
development of its industry is checked, by a govern¬ 
ment that hangs like an incubus over it, and paralyses 
its free motion. Its capacities for wealth are enormous, 
but no one makes use of them. Its population is 
stationary or degenerating. It can with difficulty pay 
up the revenue which its masters exact from it. It is 


LONDON DAILY NEWS. 


41 


becoming bankrupt, and will be perhaps chargeable to 
the mother country. Its hundred millions of inhabi¬ 
tants vegetate in poverty, their ideas limited to the 
narrowest of all spheres. While hundreds of thousands 
of emigrants are pouring annually into America, and 
becoming absorbed into the population of that country, 
adding to its wealth and their own, India is a sealed 
territory to nearly all except those who have friends in 
Leadenhall-street or Cannon-row. What can man do in 
a country like India, but vegetate among the oppressed, 
or live the life of a Sybarite among the oppressors ? 
It is wonderful that at the first sound of the railway 
whistle the Lotos-eating lords of the land should rush 
away up the the country, far away from a sound which 
everywhere is connected with energy, wealth, activity, 
freedom, and progress ? 

“ But it will be said—why is the greatness of Ame¬ 
rica to be unnaturally magnified by being compared 
with India P Why not compare it with England, where 
there are free institutions, immense manufactures and 
commerce, and where there is no more impediment to a 
man’s becoming a Vanderbilt than in America? Walk 
into the Loyal Exchange in the afternoon just before 
four o’clock, and you could be shown numbers of men 
who could do—if they thought it worth the while— 
everything that Vanderbilt has done, twice over. Look 
at Liverpool. Look at Manchester. Are not men of 
colossal fortunes to be found there ? Is there anything 
in the air or the institutions of these towns to prevent 
men becoming possessors of incomes that are reckoned 
by tens of thousands ? Possibly not: but there is 
something in the air or the institutions of the country 
of which these towns are a fraction that prevents these 
men living as becomes the creators of stupendous for¬ 
tunes by their own industry. Your men of rank here 
—your makers of millions for themselves, and tens of 
millions for the country—too often spend their time, 
their intellect, their labor, in order that they may be 



42 


LONDON DAILY NEWS. 


able to take rank among a class of men who occupy 
their present position in virtue of what was clone for 
them by some broad-shouldered adventurer, who, for¬ 
tunately for them, lived eight hundred years ago in 
Normandy. Those who ought to be the Vanderbilts of 
England would shrink from employing their wealth in 
the magnificent manner adopted by their American 
friend. They would dread the effect of making any 
unusual display, which would surely subject them to 
the reproach of being millionaires and parvenus. Here 
is the great difference between the two countries. In 
England a man is too apt to be ashamed of having made 
his own fortune, unless he has done so in one of the 
few roads which the aristocracy condescend to travel 
by—the bar, the church, or the army. And, if he is 
vulgar enough not to be ashamed of himself, his wife and 
children make amends, by sedulously avoiding every¬ 
thing which can put other people in mind of their 
origin. It was thought something superhumanly heroic 
in Sir Robert Peel to confess that he was the son of a 
cotton-spinner, although everybody knew it. Persons 
who have perused the biography of Mr. Pendennis 'will 
remember how the gifted and hard-working father of 
that gentlemen looked back on his long and useful 
career in the medical profession as a thing to be espe¬ 
cially forgotten, and never thought himself a true man 
till he was enabled to stand in gaiters, like a true landed 
proprietor, at the gate of his miniature domain of Fair- 
oaks. The ancestral Pendennis of the medical profes¬ 
sion is the type of English society. 

“ Does the reader see what looms through these 
parallels ? We wish to point out, as we have pointed 
out before, the essential weakness, the vicious condition, 
of English society. In precisely the same manner 
(although in an infinitely greater degree) as the English 
army is damaged by the ‘ cold shade of aristrocracy,’ 
so are English society and the English nation vitiated 
by the aristocratic prejudices that run through it. 


LONDON DAILY NEWS. 


43 


Between tlie cobbler who patches a shoe, and the mer¬ 
chant who imports the leather to make it, there are 
some three or four grades, the members of which would 
scorn to associate with those of the grade below. The 
merchant himself hopes that he or his children may 
walk at last amongst the lords of the land, and, as a 
step to this, he takes care to have his children educated 
where they shall lose all traces of the impressions that 
may have been made upon them by those who dwell in 
his own circle, and where they may acquire the habits 
and customs of the world to which he fondly hopes 
they may aspire. 

“ It is time that the millionaire should cease to be 
ashamed of having made his own fortune. It is time 
that parvenu should be looked on as a word of honor. 
It is time that the middle classes should take the place 
which is their own, in the world which they have made. 
The middle classes have made the modern world. The 
Montmorencis, the Howards, the Percys, made the past 
world,—and they had their reward. Let them give 
place to better men. It is not the strong arm which 
now founds nations, or makes them great. The work 
has been taken out of the hands of the mighty in war, 
and given to those who are strong in council,—to the 
lords of the elements, to the tamers of the great forces 
of nature. These must take their position. They 
must assert it, and scorn to put up with the faded 
distinctions that formed the glory of the ruling classes 
centuries back. There are men who feel this now. 
There are not wanting, even in this country, men who 
know their own dignity too well to think that it can 
be increased by being transplanted to another circle 
of society. We want the Vanderbilts of England to 
feel what they are, and to show it. We don’t ask each 
of them to build a monster yacht. We do ask that 
they would assert the greatness of their own position. 
We do require that they shall do everything, by pro¬ 
viding amply for education, to elevate the class to which 


44 


DULWICH GALLERY. 


tliey belong, and put it on the level to which it is 
entitled. The middle classes of England are the 
creators of its wealth, and the source of its power. 
Let them take example from America, and not shrink 
from acting as if they knew this. If they could be 
brought to let their children become as distinguished 
for high mental and moral cultivation, by an improved 
system of education, as they themselves are for their 
great practical knowledge, the classes which now vir¬ 
tually make the greatness of the country would become 
it actual rulers, and the only obstacles to its indefinite 
progress would be removed.” 

The state of the weather is in England a never-failing 
topic of conversation among her population. This 
arises from its frequent changes. During our visit in 
London of ten or twelve days, we had no reason to 
complain; it was charming, and all tke fine region 
about the city was seen to the best advantage. I could 
not be in London without a hasty visit to Dulwich, to take 
a look at my old favorite pictures, in a gallery which in 
early days seemed marvellous, and, now that I have 
seen other larger ones, still delights me; for it contains 
less rubbish and mediocrity than almost any gallery I 
can mention. My admiration is always ready when I 
gaze at Bembrandt’s Jacob’s Dream, and the Martyrdom 
of St. Sebastian, reputed to a Guido. I pretend to 
no connoisseurship in painting, but I know that I 
am pleased with a good picture; and 1 think I am 
never more alive to thought, nor more disposed to 
affection, then when returning from a capital collection 
of paintings. 

I cannot omit to speak of the pleasure which we 
experienced in meeting with our friend Mr. Thomas 
Colley Grattan, who was formerly Her Majesty’s consul 
at Boston. This gentleman, so well known by his 
charming works ot fiction and his admirable social 
qualities, is now resident in London, enjoying the finest 
health, and, as usual, the object of warm attachment to 


A QUICK TRIP TO LEIPSIC. 


45 


his numerous friends. The services which this gentle¬ 
man rendered to his country during the period in which 
he represented her in Massachusetts were most impor¬ 
tant ; and to his kindness and humanity many a stranger 
in a strange land has been indebted for substantial, 
valuable aid, and judicious advice. England never had 
a more valuable representative in our country than Mr. 
Grattan. 

I fear that the ladies would hardly forgive me if I 
should not say that they experienced much enjoyment 
in a visit to Madame Tussaud’s great Museum of nota¬ 
bles in wax. Indeed, this is a wonderfully curious 
place, and it grows better worth a visit every year. 
Here is the noble old warrior, the late Warden of the 
Cinque Ports, sleeping that rest which knows no awak¬ 
ening till the last great trumpet sound. Here, too, is Na¬ 
poleon’s camp-carriage; and a most comfortable one it 
is too; it was captured at Waterloo. I cannot men¬ 
tion a hundredth part of the groups and individuals 
here to be seen. The Royal Princes of England look 
like pretty children. We were pleased with Shakspeare 
in his youth, bluff Harry and his six wives. Madame 
Tussaud is herself represented as in sleep, her bosom 
gently heaving at intervals, and an old man at the end 
of the couch looking on with great attention through 
his spectacles, slightly moving his head, as if in a me¬ 
ditative mood; a woman, brushing by the old man’s 
coat, turned round to apologize! Here, too, was a 
superb Mosaic table offered for sale. On its surface 
was Napoleon and his twelve marshals. Some of the 
young folks visited the Chamber of Horrors. But we 
see too much of horror in every-day life to feel any 
great enjoyment in a retrospect of the terrible in a vast 
aggregate; and so let this go by. 

I ought to mention that while we were in London 
Mr. Allen left us to take a hasty run to Leipsic, where 
he had a son in one of the best schools of that city. He 
had not seen his boy for three or four years, and parental 


46 


VISIT TO NETLEY ABBEY. 


affection, aided by rail-cars and steamboats, earned 
him to Germany and back in four days; and we had 
the pleasure to welcome his son as a new member of 
our party, at least till our return from Russia to Copen¬ 
hagen, when he would return to his studies. The pre¬ 
sence of Mr. William Y. Allen was not only a great 
addition to the happiness of his parents, but was 
felt to be a pleasure by all on board. A right-minded 
youth, sensible and accomplished, he was always agree¬ 
able, and disposed to gratify his friends and acquaint¬ 
ances ; and his perfect knowledge of the German 
language often proved useful to us in many ways whilst 
we were at the North. 

On out return to Southampton, we at once addressed 
ourselves to excursions to Netley Abbey and the Isle of 
Wight. The abbey is the great lion ofHhe neighbour¬ 
hood ; and, like most of the ecclesiastical ruins of Eng¬ 
land, it remains a witness to the taste of its founders, 
who rarely neglected to select sites of extraordinary 
beauty for conventual purposes. The road is short, but 
pleasant. It leads over a tine wooden bridge, by the 
old Roman Clausentuin. Noble residences and char¬ 
ming lodge cottages are in sight, and fine views are 
obtained of Southampton and its water. Before 
reaching the ruins, we passed the pretty village of 
Weston, of which delightful spot Miss Mitford has 
written so sweetly: 

“ We might as soon describe a dream, 

As tell where falls each golden beam ; 

As soon might reckon up the sand, 

Sweet Weston, on thy sea-beat strand, 

As count each beauty there. 

Hills which the purple heath-bell shield. 

Forest and village, lawn and field, 

Ocean and earth, with all they yield 
Of glorious or of fair.” 

The Netley Hotel is a pretty Elizabethan erection, 
and from this point the first view is obtained of the 
abbey. Although the vicinity of Southampton is not 
characterized by any bold or romantic scenery, having 


HISTORICAL NOTICE. 


47 

neither crag nor rocky mountains, yet it is full of quiet 
beauty, and has for ages attracted the invader, pirate 
and merchant. At a very early period it captivated the 
religious of the Catholic Church, and here they selected 
a home for worship and retreat. Eomans, Norwegian 
sea-kings and Danes, ail settled down at Southampton; 
and Canute made it his great sea-port, and the city of 
Winchester, close by, was his capital. A monastery 
was established on the west bank of the Itchen, one 
mile and a half from Southampton, in 1124, by a body 
of Black Canons. At the beginning of the 13th cen¬ 
tury, some Cistercian monks came from France and 
settled in the new Forest, half-way between Calshot 
and Hurst Point. Their convent they called Beaulieu. 
They erected a supberb abbey, as we may judge from 
the remaining relics. This body sent forth a colony, 
who reared the Avails of Netley Abbey. 

The Cistercians, to whom Netley Abbey belonged, 
o\\ r ed their origin to the Abbey of Citeaux, in Bur¬ 
gundy, and the order there commenced in 1098. Its 
spread and prosperity may be chiefly ascribed to the 
great energy of its third abbot, Stephen Harding. All 
Cistercian abbeys were dedicated to the Virgin Mary. 
Henry III. is sometimes regarded as the founder of 
Netley, and the date ascribed to its erection is 1239. 
At the dissolution of monasteries by Henry VIII., this 
body consisted of the abbot and tAvelve monks. 

The location is on the bank of Southampton-Avater, 
and three miles beloAV the toAvn, and nearly opposite 
the NeAV Forest. It Avas formerly surrounded by ter¬ 
races and fish-ponds, and the property Avas enclosed by 
a moat and Avail, parts of which Ave found remaining. 
The style of architecture Avas the early English at the 
period of its change to Gothic. All the principal arches 
are pointed, and the semi-circular arch is only used for 
strength and in small gateways. Netley is a fine spe¬ 
cimen of the early transition style, and its leading 
feature Avas the use of the mullion, and slight tracery 


48 


HISTORICAL NOTICE. 


at tlie head of the windows. The abbey was built of 
stone from Purbeck, in Dorsetshire, and Caen, in Nor¬ 
mandy. The dimensions of the abbey are two hundred 
and eleven feet in length, fifty-seven wide, one hundred 
and sixty at the transepts, and from the ground to the 
top of the gables eighty feet. The impression pro¬ 
duced on entrance is one of deep awe and reverence. 
The side walls present a long perspective of thick ivy, 
and the grey tops form a noble contrast of color. On 
the ground are ruins of the groined roof and various 
remains of the formed domestic apartments—for at the 
dissolution the building was secularized. I have no 
time to describe the exquisite beauty of the aisles, the 
south transept, which is in better preservation than any 
other portion of the edifice; nor can I do more than 
mention the east aisle of this transept, which constitutes 
the Lad ye Chapel. 

The chancel is a spot where I could linger long, and 
fancy the solemn processions to the choir and altar 
during the three centuries in which, I doubt not, 
earnest and devout worship marked the services of good 
men, who, having sung the song of the mass on earth, 
are now singing the song of Moses and the Lamb in 
heaven. I do not believe that, in abjuring the errors 
of an idolatrous and apostate community, we are justi¬ 
fied in denying that she has had the truly good and 
pious in her communion. A multitude, I love to think, 
have, in dark ages, made their way home to Zion with 
songs, and the ministrations of monks and friars may 
have been means of grace and imparted hopes of glory. 
All this I can cordially believe, whilst I regard the 
existence of Popery as one of the deadliest curses to 
the race, and anticipate its overthrow as the loveliest 
vision which the fulfilment of God’s promises to his 
church is about to unfold, in answer to the prayers of 
the saints on earth and the redeemed in heaven. 

The east window was greatly admired by all our 
party. Amid its mutilations, the great mnllion and 


REV. DR. KREBBS. 


49 


the circumference remain; and, festooned as it is with 
ivy, it fastens the eye of the beholder. I have never 
seen more glorious masses of ivy, nor as many wall¬ 
flowers, as at Netley. Yet, I am forced to say, that 
this abbey will not bear comparison, for local beauty 
and architectural grandeur, with my favorite Tintern. 

As w r e were making the inspection of these venerable 
ruins a large party drove up to the gateway, and we 
were all of us delighted to meet with our excellent 
friend, the Eev. Dr. Krebbs, of New Pork, who, with 
his party, had that morning landed at Portsmouth from 
a packet-ship; and, with true American go-ahead 
energy, here they were, the same day, sight-seeing; 
having taken the rail to Southampton, and commenced 
doing up England by a visit to Netley. Dr. Krebbs 
was in the pursuit of health ; and it was a very pleasant 
thing for him to meet in the abbey with his own family 
doctor, “thebeloved physician,” Dr. Linsly. Here I 
may observe that our good doctor met in London with 
several of his patients, and rarely have I seen more 
cordial greetings than were exchanged. A warmer 
heart, full of sympathy for all the sorrows of the 
afflicted, never beat in human breast than in this excel¬ 
lent man, who, I imagine, must have been sadly missed 
by his numerous friends. 

Several of our friends made an excursion to the Isle 
of Wight, visiting Cowes, Ryde, and Osborne House, 
the marine villa of Queen Victoria. 

Others of us spent the day at Southampton, attending 
divine service. When in London, I had been strongly 
advised to hear the Eev. Alexander Maclaren, who was 
spoken of as an excellent preacher. I therefore deter¬ 
mined to attend his meeting-house in the morning. It 
is known as Portland Chapel, and is a small and plain 
building, and veiy unlike what a Baptist church would 
be in such a town in America. The congregation was 
plain, and the house not quite full. Mr. Maclaren took 
his text from the 25th Psalm, 14th verse : “ The secret 

F 


50 REV. ALEXANDER MACLAivxTN". 

of the Lord is with them that fear him,” &c. I hardly 
know how to express my admiration of this discourse, 
or of the manner in which the entire service was con¬ 
ducted. I have heard Hall, and Chalmers, and Jay, 
Hamilton, Cummings, Noel, and other great preachers 
in England; but I do not remember that I ever listened 
to a more impressive sermon. Mr. Maclaren is a 
Scotchman, of prepossessing appearance, and his man¬ 
ners in the pulpit are natural and dignified. I have 
certainly heard nothing in England that is at all equal 
to this gentleman’s oratory; and then, aside from the 
attraction of manner, the reasoning was close and the 
peroration as pathetic and earnest as I can imagine to 
be possible. l)r. Krebbs fully coincided in my estimate 
of the service. 

After service, I was invited to officiate in the evening; 
but I felt too desirous to enjoy another gratification in 
listening to such instructions. The members of our 
party, too, were very anxious to attend again upon the 
service; and, with quite an addition to our number, 
we were among the evening worshippers. I now found 
the chapel crowded, and it was with much difficulty that 
we were scattered round. The congregation, too, w r as 
of a very superior class of hearers to that I had seen 
in the morning; and I felt sure that there were repre¬ 
sentatives from the various congregations in the town. 
An American, who has never been in England, cannot 
understand the light in which Congregationalists, 
Presbyterians, Baptists and Methodists, are regarded 
by the established church and its adherents. Talents, 
social worth, even wealth, seem to be regarded as 
nothing unless they are placed upon the altar of unifor¬ 
mity. The sermon of the evening was founded upon 
Psalms 8 : 5,—“ Lord, what is man,” &c. The audience 
seemed to me held in a state of almost breathless 
silence and attention. The hold of the preacher on 
his hearers appeared to be like that of a prophet who 
had brought a message from “ the Holy One.” The 


SERVICES OF TI1E SABBATII. 


51 


imagery was grand, and was in the lips of a master in 
Israel; and we all felt the force of the preacher’s sub¬ 
ject ,—The Dignity of Mem. But, when he deecribed 
man’s apostacy and ruin, no one could fail to expe¬ 
rience the emotions of Isaiah, who exclaimed, “ I ab¬ 
hor myself in dust and ashes.” We all of us retired 
from that humble sanctuary expressing the earnest wish 
that such a preacher might have a more fitting sphere 
for labor. And yet I know not that this is right. In 
the great gathering-day, I doubt whether any preacher 
of the gospel will feel that in this world his field of 
occupation was too limited ; while thousands will 
lament the extent of their responsibility, and will 
mourn over their omissions and short-comings in duty. 


52 


CHAPTER VI. 


JUNE 13 , THE BANQUET AT SOUTHAMPTON — APPEARANCE OF TOWN — 
VICTORIA ROOMS — MAYOR — DINNER—ACCOUNT OF PROCEEDINGS 
AND SPEECHES IN THE HAMPSHIRE INDEPENDENT — EXCURSION OF 
THE NORTH STAR, WITH THE MAYOR AND INVITED GUESTS, ROUND 
THE ISLE OF WIGHT — DINNER ON BOARD — ACCOUNT TAKEN FROM 
THE HAMPSHIRE INDEPENDENT. 

I stated, in my notice of our days in London, that a 
deputation from Southampton had proffered Mr. Van¬ 
derbilt an invitation to an entertainment given by the 
citizens, and that the honor was accepted. On our 
arrival at Southampton, we found the streets placarded 
ivith notices of a public entertainment at the Victoria 
Rooms; and a very superbly-engraved card, in gilt 
letters, Avith a tine likeness of the North Star in the 
centre, surrounded by gilt flags and the arms of 
Southampton, Avas addressed to each member of the 
party. 

Monday, the 13th of June, Aims a most delightful 
day; and Avhen we came on deck Ave found the flags of 
the shipping in dock all gayly Avaving to the breeze, 
and noticed banners from the hotels and public build¬ 
ings, Avhile the church-bells were ringing merry peals 
of cheer and gladness. Everything denoted mirth and 
holiday, and our feelings were somewhat peculiar Avhen 
we felt that all this Avas a matter in which Ave were 
personally concerned, and was intended for the honor 
of our ship, her OAvner, and our country. 

At tAvo o'clock p.m., carriages Avere on the dock, 
Avhich had been most politely sent by the committee of 
arrangements, to convey the party to the Royal Vic- 


VICTORIA ROOMS—RECEPTION. 


53 


toria Rooms, the scene of civic hospitality. The streets 
were full of spectators, and bells were pealing out 
sweet melody, as English parish bells alone can do it. 
On arriving at the Rooms, we were courteously received 
by the gentlemen in waiting, and were escorted through 
a fairy scene of winding stairs, all covered until ever¬ 
greens and flags, into the saloon of reception, where 
we were presented to Mr. Lankester, the Mayor, who 
wore his gold chain of office, and by him we were in¬ 
troduced to the Lady Mayoress, and a large number 
of ladies and gentlemen. The room was spacious, 
and opened upon a terrace affording a charming view 
of the water; and I noticed several venerable trees, 
and some small pieces of artillery, which were more 
for adornment than use; a pretty fountain off to the 
left, was an ornament to the terrace. 

At three o’clock the Mayor announced that dinner 
was ready, and led Mrs. Vanderbilt to the room, 
followed by Mr. Vanderbilt and the Lady Mayoress, 
and the rest of the company. The scene that opened 
upon our view was exceedingly striking, and we all 
thought that we had never beheld a dining-room so 
elegantly decorated. The flags of England and the 
United States were beautifully entwined, and the entire 
arrangements of the room were as elegant as possible. 
The tables were superbly arranged, and presented a fine 
display of plate, whilst the entertainment itself, was 
of the richest character. The presence of nearly a 
hundred ladies gave a charm to the occasion, and 
afforded us additional pleasure. 

I think I cannot do better than insert in this place 
the account of the banquet as recorded in the Hamp¬ 
shire Independent of Saturday, June 18,—a very ex¬ 
cellent liberal paper, edited by my valued and eloquent 
friend, Mr. Ealvey. I regard the description as very 
truthful and graphic. 

It may not be inappropriate here to remark, that 
whilst Mr. Vanderbilt has long been known to his 


54 


THE BANQUET. 


fellow-countrymen by the title of Commodore Van¬ 
derbilt,—a compliment paid him as the veteran head of 
the steam navigation of the northern states—yet he on 
no occasion used the appellation, or wished it em¬ 
ployed. I allude to this, because the common use of 
the title in this narrative of the English press prevents 
my altering the phraseology. If anything, during the 
whole excursion to Europe, impressed me strongly as 
it regarded Mr. Vanderbilt’s deportment, it was his 
uniform modest and dignified reserve, and avoidance 
of all pretence to ostentatious show and public notice. 
Often did he decline attentions which ’were pressed 
upon him at various points of our progress, and very 
frequently to the great disappointment of those who 
greatly wished to do him honor, and show their regard 
for his country. 

“ THE AMERICAN STEAM YACHT, NORTH STAR.- 

PUBLIC BANQUET TO COMMODORE VANDERBILT. 

“The banquet to Commodore Vanderbilt, by the 
merchants and traders of Southampton, in acknow¬ 
ledgement of the compliment paid to this port as the 
high road between England and New York, in selecting 
it for his visit, and of the great courtesy shown to 
the public by throwing open his splendid yacht for 
general inspeetion, came off at the Victoria Rooms on 
Monday, with an eclat which has never been surpassed 
by any previous entertainment of the kind that has 
taken place in this town. Of all the fraternal gather¬ 
ings which have, of late years, characterised our port, 
none have gone beyond this one, either in point of in¬ 
terest, or the excellent and satisfactory manner in 
which the whole of the arrangemements were carried 
out. The banquet took place at the Victoria Rooms, 
and, notwithstanding the short time necessarily allowed 
for preparation, about two hundred persons, inclusive 
of the distinguished party of American guests, assem¬ 
bled on the occasion. 


DECORATION OE THE SALOONS. 55 

“ The decoration of the room was assigned to Mr. 
Triggs, and most ably did he perform his task. Flags 
ol all nations, in which the English and American 
colors, of course, were prominently displayed, hung 
round the room, which, added to the excellent effect 
produced by the peculiar ornamentation of the orches¬ 
tra, and the graceful intermingling of wreaths and 
bouquets of flowers, a large floral star being suspended 
from the centre of the ceiling, rendered the appearance 
of the room, as soon as the doors were thrown open to 
the company, that of a large fairy bower. Indeed, we 
never saw the Victoria Rooms so beautifully decorated 
on any previous occasion. A handsome collection of 
green and hot-liouse plants and flowering shrubs was 
gratuitously supplied by Mr. William Rogers, sen., 
from his old-established nursery at Red Lodge and his 
floricultural establishment in the High-street, which 
were arranged by Mr. Sawyer, and had a most agreeable 
effect in connection with the other decorations of the 
room. 

“ The lower room was set apart as a reception room, 
wherein the guests and visitors generally were received, 
on their arrival, by the Mayor and Mayoress; and we 
need hardly say that Commodore Vanderbilt and his 
family received a hearty welcome on their arrival. The ' 
day being beautifully fine, the company promenaded 
the grounds till the banquet was announced to be 
ready, which, together with a suspension of lines of 
flags between the trees and the balconies, and the per¬ 
formances of a capital brass band which was stationed 
on the green, drew crowds of spectators along the 
western shore road, which runs in front of the grounds, 
by whom the gay and exhilarating scene appeared to be 
much enjoyed. In the banquetting-room a full and 
highly efficient quadrille band, under the direction of 
Mr. F. Targett, occupied the orchestra; and a party 
of vocalists from London, consisting of Mr. Ransford, 
Mr. Ransford, jun., and Miss Ransford, lent their 


56 


DINNER—TOASTS. 


powerful aid to the general harmony of the festive 
gathering. 

“ The dejeuner and dessert was served by Mr. Gibbs, 
whose catering gave much satisfaction to the company. 
The wines were of first-rate quality, the champagne 
and hock being supplied by Mr. F. Perkins, and the 
remainder of the wines by Messrs. Maber and Parker. 
Indeed, every department was done full justice to by 
the gentlemen to whom they were respectively assigned. 

“ Grace before meat was offered by the Rev. J. 
W. Wyld, and at the close of the grace, 4 For these 
and all thy mercies’ was chanted by the Messrs. Rans- 
ford, in beautiful style. 

“ The first toast given by the chairman was the 
health of the Queen, which was drank most enthusi¬ 
astically, and followed by the band playing the National 
Anthem, the air of which was beautifully sung by 
Miss Ransford, tbe whole company standing and 
joining in the chorus. 

“The chairman next gave the health of Prince 
Albert—the beloved consort of Her Maiesty, the patron 
of the arts and sciences, and the warm advocate of the 
comfort and happiness of the whole community. 
Drank with loud applause. 

“ Glee— c Where art thou, beam of light! ’ 

“ The chairman, in proposing the next toast, said 
that, in the exercise of their undoubted prerogative, 
the American nation had chosen a form of government 
different from our own, which had worked in an un¬ 
paralleled degree, in the history of the world, for the 
welfare of that country. (Hear, hear.) They had 
established a republic, instead of a monarchy, with a 
president chosen every four years; and under her 
successive presidents they had advanced to that state 
of unexampled prosperity which they now enjoy, 
(Hear, and cheers.) They had selected men of wisdom 
and talent, equal to the exigencies of the times, to fill 
that high and honorable office; and he gave them. 


SPEECH OF ALDERMAN LAISHLEY. 57 

with much pleasure, the health of ‘ The President of 
the United States of America. 

“ This toast was received with loud and long-con¬ 
tinued cheering, and the whole company rose and stood 
during the performance by the band of‘ Hail Columbia;’ 
—a mark of respect to the ruling head of the American 
nation with which Commodore Vanderbiltt and his 
friends were much pleased. 

“ Mr. Alderman Laishley rose to propose the next 
toast. He said he most sincerely and heartily congra¬ 
tulated the Mayor on his being honored with an oppor¬ 
tunity, during his tenure of office, of entertaining as his 
guest so distinguished and worthy a representative of 
the xYmerican people. He rejoiced that these occasions 
of mutual good feeling and fellowship arose, from time 
to time. The people of Southampton had not forgot¬ 
ten, nor would they soon forget, when, for the hrst 
time in the history of their ancient town, there floated 
on our water that noble specimen of the naval force of 
the United States, the St. Lawrence, in 1848, com¬ 
manded by one of her most gallant sons, whose digni¬ 
fied bearing, whose courtesy and kindness, as well as 
that of the officers under his command, and the orderly 
conduct of the crew, made an impression, not only on 
the corporation, but also on the inhabitants of the 
town at large, which neither time nor distance would 
be able to efface. (Loud cheers.) And then there 
was the recollection of the second visit of that noble 
ship to our port on her mission of peace, bearing the 
contributions of that enterprising people to the World’s 
Exhibition. True, compared with the show and the 
tinsel of some of those exhibited by the old states of 
Europe, they were apparently modest and unpretending, 
and at first rather excited a smile that they should have 
travelled so far only to go back again; but, as day suc¬ 
ceeded day, and weeks and months elapsed, they ex¬ 
cited the attention of the practical and philanthropic, the 
ingenious and the inventive,—and what was the result ? 


58 


SPEECH. 


Why, that amidst the world of competitors they car¬ 
ried off some of the highest prizes, and the most dis¬ 
tinguished honors. And, for this most obvious reason, 
that, while much that was glittering and dazzling was 
well adapted for the few, those were the very things which 
were everywhere wanting to promote and increase the 
comfort and well-being of the many. (Much cheering.) 
Nor could they allow such an occasion as that to pass 
by without a renewed expression of their admiration of 
the gallant commander of that ship—on that occasion, 
Captain Sands—and the distinguished officers under 
his command; long might they live in the enjoyment 
of every good, an honor to their country, and a bless¬ 
ing to the world ! Tor the visits of that noble vessel 
to this port they were indebted to the exertions and 
good opinion of a gentleman whom they all highly 
esteemed, and whose absence that evening was deeply 
regretted; he meant Mr. Croskey, the United States 
consul, who had so long and so honorably represented 
that government at this port. (Applause.) And, now 
they were most unexpectedly and happily favored by 
the visit of one of the most enterprising, successful, 
generous, and large-hearted men of that extraordinary 
people,—one who, having, as he was informed, em¬ 
barked a large amount both of capital and skill in the 
vastly-growing commercial interests of his country, had 
lived to see his public spirit, his gigantic intellect, his 
scientific attainments, rewarded with a success rarely, 
if ever, surpassed in that or in any other country. 
(Cheers.) The people of Southampton might indeed 
well be proud of the distinction thus conferred upon 
them. He (Mr. Laishley) could well imagine how in¬ 
tense the interest felt by the gallant Commodore and 
his amiable family, as they rounded the old Castle of 
Calsliot, to find themselves steaming up that very river 
in a yacht, the magnificence of which was perhaps un¬ 
equalled in the world, down which, in 1620, the Pil¬ 
grim Fathers, their honored ancestors, started in their 


SPEECH. 


59 


frail bark of one hundred and eighty tons burden, for 
their distant and unknown destination. (Hear, hear.) 
Talk about warriors and diplomatists; these were the 
men, wherever they were found, who were nobly and 
successfully contributing to make the world one coun¬ 
try and man one family (loud cheers),—men, upon 
whom Providence having smiled, had not only the 
power to get wealth, but the heart to diffuse it, It 
was by collossal intellects such as these that the path¬ 
way of the great deep was rendered not only safe and 
easy, but attractive and inviting too; and that, not 
only to the hardy sons of the soil, th£ muscle and sinew 
of the human race, but to the gentleman, the scholar, 
the man of literature and science—nay, to ladies, too, 
of education and station, and even of these some of the 
most fragile, and sensitive, and delicate, as they saw 
that evening, inducing them, without hesitation or ap¬ 
prehension, to visit lands the most distant, and people 
often the furthest removed from all their habits. 

“ Bad sailor as he was, a look at that magnificent 
vessel, so snugly berthed within their docks, would al¬ 
most lead him to imagine that a voyage in her, at any 
time, and to any part of the world, 'would be nothing 
else than an occasion of pleasure, a very holiday festi¬ 
vity, on the spacious deck of which the voyager might 
breathe the pure air as freely, and, no doubt, often as 
plentifully, too, as he pleased, or unite with his fellow- 
travellers in recreation and amusement—by day behold¬ 
ing the wonders of the deep, and by night admiring 
the garniture of the heavens. (Applause.) In the su¬ 
perb saloon—a compartment which would not discredit 
the palace of Britain’s Queen—he might converse with 
authors of every age, and partake of the luxuries of 
every clime, assured, whether engaged in the one or the 
other, that, under the direction of the gallant Commo¬ 
dore, his officers and crew, he was being safely wafted 
to his desired haven. It was only to gaze for a mo¬ 
ment or two upon that noble specimen of marine archi- 


GO 


SPEECH. 


tecture, to see, and to feel, too, that, as to the age in 
which they lived, it was, as to the discoveries of science 
and the inventions of art, the product, the flower, the 
cream, of all the ages past and gone. ‘ Nobody,’ said 
the illustrious Prince Albert, some time since, * can 
doubt for a moment that we are living at a period of 
wonderful transition, tending to the great end to which 
all history points—the realization of the unity of the 
human race.’ Why, all that was wanting was, that 
men of all nations and kindreds should thus meet toge¬ 
ther, see each other, and talk together, to know, and to 
feel, too, that they were children of the same common 
Patlier—a world of brothers, intended to be drawn 
together by mutual interests and sympathies, instead of 
being divided and dissevered by mutual jealousies and 
antipathies. (Loud and prolonged cheering.) Who 
could estimate the effect which in a few years must be 
produced on the intellectual, the moral, the religious 
and the social condition of the world, by the rapidly in¬ 
creasing intercourse of the sons of man? By these 
means it would be that both the geographical and poli¬ 
tical barriers which from age to age had separated na¬ 
tion from nation—barriers which had rendered them, 
not only strangers, but enemies to each other—were 
being daily broken down and demolished. National 
prejudices and antipathies w r ere everywhere giving way, 
as opposed alike to the best interests of man, and to all 
the institutions of the Almighty. How terse and how 
truthful were the remarks of one of the earlier Presi¬ 
dents of the American Union—he believed it was Mr. 
Jefferson:— c We, the Americans,’ he said, ‘ought, 
above all things, to cultivate the most friendly alliance 
and brotherhood with Great Britain, because she can 
do us more harm than any other nation; and she 
ought above all things, to cultivate the same friendly 
feeling towards us, because we can do her more good than 
any other people.’ Hence, how important that,in accord¬ 
ance with the toast he had the honor to propose, all the 


SPEECH OF HIS HONOR THE MAYOR. 61 

deliberations of her Majesty’s ministers and the states¬ 
men of England and America should tend to promote 
the welfare of mankind and the civilization of the 
world! But these gratifying reunions, these friendly 
greetings, this social, happy intercourse, of the people 
of different and distant nations, would tend far more to 
cement and render permanent and enduring the bonds 
of universal brotherhood, than all the diplomacy of 
the one country or the other. (Hear, hear.) The 
toast he had to propose for their acceptance was—■ 
* Her Majesty’s Ministers, and the Statesmen of Eng¬ 
land and America: May all their deliberations tend to 
promote the welfare of mankind, and the civilization of 
the world.’ 

“ ‘ Rode’s Air,’ with variations, was then sung by 
Miss Ransford, and loudly applauded. 

“ The Mayor said he now came to the toast of the 
day (applause), and, as usual, Mr. Laishley had so 
taken the wind out of his sails that he had left him 
little to say. But he remembered that he had at that 
moment sitting at his right hand one of the merchant 
princes of America (hear, hear)—a gentleman who 
owed his position entirely to his own industry, perse¬ 
verance, and extensive knowledge of mankind. He 
had ever been an enemy to all monopoly, and that was 
the foundation of his great success. (Applause.) His 
aim had always been to abolish all monopolies, and so 
he had created the important position which he now 
occupied in America. And, then, look at his family ! 
(Loud cheers.) He was not, like many of our anchor¬ 
ites, contented with amassing a large sum of money, 
but he had brought up a large and interesting family. 
(Hear, and cheers.) Commodore Vanderbilt was the 
largest steamboat proprietor in the United States ; and 
now, as a sort of frame to the picture, he had brought 
his splendid steam yacht into the Southampton waters, 
to show them what the Americans could do in the art 
of steamship building. (Loud applause.) He (the 

G 



62 


mr. Vanderbilt’s reply. 


Mayor) was not going, on that occasion, to talk about 
the port of Southampton, but he could not help think¬ 
ing that the Commodore had shown singular good sense 
in bringing his yacht to this port. (Laughter and 
cheers.) The position of Commodore Vanderbilt in 
America was equal to that of any of the ducal houses 
in Great Britain. (Hear, hear.) He was the proprie¬ 
tor of large building establishments, and employed more 
men than any other person in America. There must, 
then, be something in such a man (loud cheers), and he 
hoped that his career would be followed up for many 
years yet to come. The example he set showed to per¬ 
sons in this and other countries what might be done by 
industry, energy, and perseverance, without being born 
to inherit fortune or wealth. (Applause.) He gave 
them, as a toast—‘Commodore Vanderbilt: May 
every happiness accrue to himself and family during 
his interesting voyage, and every success attend all his 
spirited enterprises.’ The toast wus drank with en¬ 
thusiastic applause, renewed again and again. 

“ Band—‘ The Star-Spangled Banner.’ 

“ Commodore Vanderbilt (whose rising was the sig¬ 
nal for renewed rounds of cheering) said •—Ladies and 
Gentlemen, I am glad to see you. It affords me sin¬ 
cere pleasure to make your acquaintance. It shows 
that we are all one people (hear, hear), and I hope that, 
by the power of steam, our common countries will be 
so bound together that no earthly power can separate 
us. (Loud applause.) Since we landed in your beau¬ 
tiful town, we have made a hasty race over part of 
Her Majesty’s dominions; and, were I able to express 
the gratification we have experienced in passing through 
the country and your town, and the interest that we 
feel in all your citizens that we have had the happiness 
to meet, I am fearful you would construe it into an 
attempt to make a speech. But I must refer that task 
to my friend Mr. Clark, who will address you much 
better than I can possibly do. 


MR. H. F. CLARK’S SPEECH. 


03 


“ Tlu; Mayor jocularly remarked that no one could 
question the right of the worthy Commodore to call 
on a gentleman to whom lie had given one of his 
daughters to act as his substitute, and he was sure the 
company would listen with pleasure to Mr. Clark, one 
of the Commodore’s sons-in-law. (Applause.) 

“ Mr. Clarke received a heartv welcome, and, when 
the applause had subsided, spoke as follows Ladies 
and Gentlemen, I rise in obedience to the call made 
upon me by the gentleman whom you are pleased this 
day to honour. As a member of lus family, as an in¬ 
dividual privileged with this opportunity of meeting 
the gentlemen and ladies of England, I should have 
been glad to have remained in silence, gratilied with 
your magnificant hospitality. But, when 1 recollect 
that the honorable gentlemen from whom you have 
just heard a few words sustains to us one of the most 
sacred relations on earth (hear, hear),—that we have 
received from his hearth those who are the partners of 
our lives (hear),—that he, like your own illustrious ad¬ 
miral, expects every man on whom he calls to do his duty 
(great cheering),—when I remember these things, and 
the obligations we owe to him and to you for the 
honor you have done him, I feel that it would be out of 
place in me to refuse to respond to his call. We came 
from our homes in the far west, neither hoping nor 
expecting to receive such princely honors as those 
which you have conferred upon us. Commodore Van¬ 
derbilt constructed a steam yacht in accordance with 
his tastes, and at considerable expense, and invited us 
to visit, with him, this glorious land—the birth-place 
of our fathers. (Loud cheers.) If it so happened, or 
shall so happen, that you find in this yacht anything 
to merit or receive your approbation,—about her con¬ 
struction anything tending to advance the general im¬ 
provement of the age, and the growing commerce of 
the world,—Mr. Vanderbilt is already amply compen¬ 
sated. (Hear, and cheers.) His paramount object, in 


64 


MR. CLARK’S SPEECH. 


this visit, was our improvement and our pleasure, and 
to that he lias amply contributed; and the reception 
which he and his family have received on the occasion 
has been all that we could have asked, and much more 
than we could have anticipated. We left our homes 
in the far west, after taking farewell, for a season, of 
all our domestic pleasures and ties there left behind 
us,—a few days of unalloyed pleasure, passed in con¬ 
templation of the works of the Great Creator on his 
broadest and most glorious field,—a few nights of calm 
repose, undisturbed by danger or fear,—and, lo ! your 
magnificent shores burst upon our view. (Much 
cheering.) We had heard of your generous hospi¬ 
tality, which we are now enjoying. We had heard of 
your beautiful river, of the charming landscape scenery 
which surrounds you, and of your port, which offers 
its great advantages to the commerce of the world. 
(Hear, and cheers.) We had been told of your salu¬ 
brious climate, and the unexampled growth of your 
city. We were, therefore, prepared for what we have 
seen. But when we arrived on a fine sunny morning,— 
when your beautiful river first opened to our view,— 
we little thought, till we soon experienced it, that we 
should so truly find ourselves at home. Everything 
around us here looks like home. (Loud cheers.) Per¬ 
haps you have never visited New York, though but a 
short distance across the Atlantic. In its natural 
position it bears a strong resemblance to the great and 
ancient city in which I now stand, and from whose in¬ 
habitants we have received such kind and generous- 
hearted attention. The city of New York stands at 
the confluence of two vast and mighty rivers, whilst 
directly in front, to guard its commerce from the 
storms of the ocean, lies Staten Island, which your 
honored guest has enriched by his enterprise, and 
adorned by his taste. (Great cheering.) There lies 
New York, offering its noble harbor to the whole 
world, with one hand grasping the east, and another 


MR. CLARK’S SPEECH. 


65 


the west. Thus, also, do you lie at the confluence of 
two rivers, and in front, not our Staten Island, but 
your most beautiful isle,—the isle of Wight,—to shield 
your commerce from the storms of the ocean, and to 
furnish you with the flowers of early spring. Have 
we not, I ask, a right to feel ourselves at home ? 
(Enthusiastic cheering.) We have not been treated as 
strangers, and we do not feel ourselves to be strangers. 
(Hear, hear.) W T e have one common origin. W r e 
speak one common language. We are all engaged in 
one common cause—the improvement of mankind. 
The English is our mother tongue; our ears are at¬ 
tuned to its melodies, and we know no other. (Re¬ 
newed applause.) Those who suppose that we are a 
different rade forget that we are all one and the same 
people, and but one and the same. Your great names 
are our great names. Your past history is our past 
history. Your glorious future is our hope and our 
pride. W T e sprang from you. We are happy thus, as 
if returning home, to greet you (immense cheering),— 
to visit England, the renowned empire of which it has 
been well and truly said c that her morning drum-beat, 
keeping time with the hours, encircles the earth in one 
continuous strain of the martial airs of England.’ W e 
are proud of the ancestry from whom we claim our 
descent. We have stood on the soil which holds the 
sacred remains of Milton and Shakspeare. (Applause.) 
We have stood in the halls which once echoed with the 
eloquence of a Chatham, a Fox, a Pit, and a Burke. 
(Continued applause.) Their fame is ours, as well as 
yours. All that you can say—all that the great 
Anglo-Saxon race who inhabit England can say—is 
that their ancestors were the countrymen of those 
men ; and so were mine. (Hear, and cheers.) It was 
little over two hundred years ago that the Mayflower, 
with her precious freight of noble men, left your beau¬ 
tiful harbour for the stern and rock-bound coast of 
New England, and from the loins of one of those men, 


66 


MR, CLARK’S SPEECH. 


he who now addresses you, has descended. (Hear, 
hear.) How are we reminded of our home by every¬ 
thing we now see about us in England ! You doubt¬ 
less all remember that, after the Mayflower left your 
port, she was compelled to put into Plymouth to be 
refitted. Starting again, they named the place of their 
landing in America Plymouth. Within two hundred 
miles of that sacred spot now stand Newport, South¬ 
ampton and Northampton—three of the most beautiful 
of our American towns. In view of all this, and of 
the welcome as generous as is this you have given us, 
I did not feel myself at liberty to refuse the call of my 
friend and father-in-law. (Applause.) We have now 
stood in England, and we are proud of you. We 
glory in your prosperity and advancement as in that of 
a parent. And it is right that this feeling should be 
mutual. Is this the first occasion in human history 
when a son feels proud of his father, and the father has 
still the same right to be proud of his son ? (Cheers.) 
Where is the English heart that does not glory in the 
prosperity of his child ? And I tell you there is no 
true American heart which does not glory in the 
prosperity of his father. (Great cheering.) We have, 
I again repeat, stood in England; we have seen your 
institutions; we have beheld and examined, as far as 
the short time we have been here would permit, your 
noble and illustrious charities ; and we have not failed 
to observe the universal good order and contentment 
which pervade your people. We have inspected your 
works of art. We have not failed to notice that 
everything around you is prospering, and that the only 
signs of decay are to be found in those old structures 
which you are so proud to preserve, and which attest 
the glory and antiquity of your country. (Loud cheers.) 
From the time of landing on your shores till this hour, 
we have felt one universal thrill of admiration, which 
will not subside till we again reach our homes in the 
western world. We have been struck by the perma- 


MR. CLARK’S SPEECH. 


67 


nency and solidity of your structures, and, whatever 
may be the opinions of a few amongst you and us, who 
will dare to revile England and her institutions, we say 
it is utterly impossible for anything but admiration to 
be the general and abiding feeling. The convulsions 
of nature may, in the long ages of the future, over 
whelm this island; but, so long as the world remains, 
so long will England’s usefulness be felt, and her 
power and glory be known and acknowledged. (Ap¬ 
plause.) Your respected chairman has been pleased to 
say that we Americans have chosen a form of govern¬ 
ment entirely different from your own; but in that 
opinion I take the liberty of telling him he is mistaken. 
There is a great similiarity between our respective 
forms of government. Some of the most conservative 
of our forms are taken from yours. Ours is based on 
the power of the people, and yours is the same in 
theory and in practice. We have a government of 
checks and balances ; and so have you, for what your 
Parliament adopts must be sanctioned by the Queen 
before it has the effect of laiv, and the sceptre of your 
Queen is powerless without the will of your Lords and 
Commons. Ladies and Gentlemen, come and visit us. 
(Loud cheers.) A few pleasant days, and a few plea¬ 
sant nights, will land you on our shores. Visit and 
examine our institutions ; see how the rich protect the 
poor, and the poor respects the rights and property of 
tiie rich. Examine our laws, and you will find the 
Magna Charta of your own King John incorporated 
in every state of the Union—your far-famed Bill of 
Bights grafted on our statute-books. (Loud and pro¬ 
longed cheering.) You will feel thoroughly at home. 
We will greet you as friends, and, if you see us at 
home, you will find the sure indicia of our English 
origin, and you will all come to the conclusion that we 
have no right to boast of any superiority over you, and 
you of none over us. (Renewed applause.) There is 
no set of institutions so perfect that the one cannot 



gg INVITATION FOR AN EXCURSION. 

derive aid and improvement from tlie otlier. (Hear.) 

I have intruded much longer upon your time and pa. 
tience than I had intended, but your kindness has sus¬ 
tained me. Amongst the blessings of Providence stip 
in store for us, I do most sincerely hope that we m a y 
be able to cultivate still further the acquaintance which, 
under such favorable auspices, we have now been able 
to make with you.—The honorable gentleman sat down 
amidst the most enthusiastic acclamations. 

“ Mr. S. Payne briefly proposed, as the next toast, 

‘ Mrs. Vanderbilt and the Ladies,’ which was drank 
with all the honors. 

“ Band—* Here’s a health w to all good lasses.’ 

“Duet, Mr. and Miss Hansford—‘Tell me, gentle 
stranger. ’— Parry. 

“ The Mayor here took the opportunity of announcing 
that Commodore Vanderbilt, with the generosity that 
marked his career, had placed his magnificent yacht at 
his disposal on the following day (Tuesday), for an ex¬ 
cursion, to which all those present at the banquet would 
be admitted by tickets, which could be obtained at the 
town clerk’s office between half-past nine and half-past 
ten on Tuesday morning. The yacht would start at 
eleven. This announcement was received with much 
cheering. 

“Mr. Vanderbilt, jun., offered his thanks for the 
reception they had given to the toast, and set the room 
in a roar of laughter by expressing a hope that, as the 
bump of cautiousness had always distinguished his 
father, they would allow the son to exhibit it also, 
by saying nothing more, especially as this was his 
maiden speech. He proposed the health of ‘ The 
Ladies of England: Noble specimens of God’s handi¬ 
work.’ The toast having been duly honored, 

“ Mr. Deacon (the town clerk.) acknowledged the 
compliment, and. said that the ladies of England were 
delighted with that opportunity of greeting the ladies 
of America. 


MR. EAEVEY’s SPEECH. 


69 


“ The Mayor said the next toast was not a political 
one, and therefore lie hoped it would be drank by all. 
He had received a telegraphic despatch from Sir 
Alexander Cockburn, regretting his inability to be 
present. He proposed ‘The Members for the Bo¬ 
rough.’ Drank with much applause. 

“ Mr. Falvey said it was his pleasing duty to pro¬ 
pose for tlieir acceptance the next toast; and, in doing 
so, he would take that opportunity of remarking that, 
from the able speech they had heard that day from 
Mr. Clark, and from others that had been delivered 
during the visit of the St. Lawrence to Southampton, 
it was very evident that the people of America, amid 
their other excellent qualities, had not neglected the 
cultivation of the art of oratory. (Cheers.) They had 
satisfactorily demonstrated that it was a popular error 
to suppose that men who could discourse most elo¬ 
quently were not men of action; because, both in the 
Congress of the United States, and even on ordinary 
festive occasions, the practical go-ahead character of 
our American brothers by no means caused the divine 
art that enabled Demosthenes to hurl defiance at King 
Philip, or Cicero to denounce the crimes of Verres, to 
be neglected. (Hear, hear.) It was said, of old, that 
the wise men came from the east; but, however that 
might be, they could affirm with truth in our own day 
that the practical and enterprising men came from the 
west; and, although they in Southampton were not so 
far north as to make the large and rapid fortunes that 
some persons did in that part of the country, they 
were sufficiently south to have their hearts partake in 
some measure of the character of their genial climate, 
and leap, as it were, with friendly and fraternal greet¬ 
ings to welcome their guests from the other side of the 
Atlantic. (Cheers.) The toast which he had to pro¬ 
pose made a special reference to Washington and 
Franklin,--two of the great founders of the mighty 
republic of the west; and it would not be out of place 



70 


MR. FALVEV’s SPEECH. 


to mention, on that interesting occasion, when they 
were honored by the presence of so many ladies, that 
it was to a fond mother’s teachings the illustrious war¬ 
rior and statesman of America was indebted tor that 
ardent love of truth and those lessons of patriotism 
that, throughout the whole of his useful life, formed 
the leading characteristics of his mind. (Cheers.) As 
the mariner of old, before the discovery of the com¬ 
pass, looked anxiously up to the north star for safety 
and for hope in steering his way through the ocean, so 
George Washington, amid painful and difficult trials, 
in contending for a time with factious intrigues, and 
even conspiring generals, looked only to the honor, 
the glory, and the independence of his native land, 
as the one great object of his existence. With such 
an example to guide them, in addition to their own 
industry and intelligence, and with the old spirit of 
the Anglo-Saxon race, the future of America would 
be even greater than its past ; and he said this not 
in the way of paying a cold and formal compliment 
to Commodore Vanderbilt and his family, but because 
the genius and power of his great country was felt and 
acknowledged in every part of the globe. (Cheers.) He 
begged to propose, with all his heart, the toast that 
had been placed in his hands, and to apply to the two 
nations of the one common origin the words of an 
American authoress: 

* Then pray we for our country, that England long may be 
The holy and the happy, and the gloriously free. 

Who blesseth her is blessed—then peace "be in her walls, 

And joy in all her palaces, her cottages, and halls.’ 

Mr. Falvey concluded by proposing—* The Sons of 
America: May they ever be found worthy of their 
illustrious predecessors, Washington and Franklin; 
and may the genius and virtue of their many dis¬ 
tinguished citizens continue to guide the onward pro¬ 
gress of that great and flourishing people.’ 

“ Scotch Ballad, by Miss Bansford,— c Of a’ the 


MR. LABAU’s SPEECH. 71 

airt.s the win’ can blaw,’—which was rapturously ap¬ 
plauded, and a repetition called for and accepted. 

“ Major Labau (another of Commodore Vanderbilt’s 
sons-in-law), in a very eloquent address, responded to 
the toast. 

“Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen: There are 
times when such is the intensity of the human feelings 
that the heart throbs, the bosom heaves, the nerves 
are relaxed, and the tongue almost refuses its office. 
Such a time is the present, and such are my feelings. 
Standing for the first time on England’s soil, and par¬ 
taking of her numerous bounties, emotions strange and 
new agitate my soul. 

“As you, Sir, have observed,—and I thank you for 
the thought,—there departed from your hospitable port, 
some two hundred years ago, a frail bark freighted with 
Pilgrim Fathers. Like Noah’s weary dove, she went 
forth, and pursued her way o’er the trackless ocean. 
By the providence of God, a resting-place was found 
in the western world. I need not now depict the suf¬ 
ferings and trials of those fathers; nor need I tell of 
their landing in a wilderness, the dangers they in¬ 
curred, the perils they encountered. All is as familiar 
as your household history; and in recounting these 
things I should only tell you that which you your¬ 
selves do know. Suffice it to say, that a colony w r as 
founded; infant as it was, it grew apace. As years 
rolled on it waxed stronger and stronger, until it 
reached the proportions of a man, and now stands 
forth the ‘ Giant of the West.’ 

“ That giant, your progeny, now sends us, his 
children, upon a visit to our grandmother, glorious 
Old England ! Aye, glorious Old England! next to 
mine own land I love her sea-girt isle. I love and 
venerate her flag, which has ever floated high above 
the din of battle, and under which a Wellington and a 
Nelson have fought and conquered. I love to wander 


72 


Mil. LABAU’s SPEECH. 


through the rich fields of her intellect, and cull from 
thence the gems of a Cowper, a Hryden, a Shakspeare, 
and a Milton. I love to wander ’mid the stars of 
heaven, and read their names and characters by the 
aid of a Newton and a Herschel. (Cheers.) 

cc But why, let me ask, are we here ? Why are our 
national banners entwined together for the decoration of 
this hall ? Here is a result; what, then, is the cause ? 
Mankind are too apt to take things as they are. They 
know results, without caring for causes. We are con¬ 
tent to look upon and admire the running stream, 
without caring to go back and ascertain by what hidden 
mystery the bubbling water is sent up from the bosom 
of the earth. Thought is our only medium of know¬ 
ledge, whatever its sphere or its degree. All begins and 
ends with thought. Why, then, are we here ? Has 
etiquette dictated this banquet ? Has it originated in 
fashion, which makes the heart cold and calculating, 
causing men to live not for what they are, but for what 
they seem to be? No, Sir. The banquet is dictated 
by other causes, by higher feelings, and nobler motives. 
Are we not the same people ? Ho we not speak the 
same mother tongue, bow obedience to the same prin¬ 
ciples of law, and kneel in worship before the altar of 
the same great God? Sympathy draws us to each 
other; unity of interest binds us together; and one 
common cause leads us to travel side by side the 
rugged paths of life. Our countries are both engaged 
in the advancement of civilization and science. Both 
labor for the amelioration of the condition of man; for 
the freedom of the serf; for the freedom of the ignorant. 
Both strive to rend asunder the chains upon the con¬ 
science, the intellect, the pursuits, and the persons of 
men. Both raise up the fallen, encourage the weak and 
tottering, and extend powerful protection to those 
unfortunates whom the vultures of despotism would 
cover and devour. Ay, here, as in America, may the 


MR. LABAU’s SPEECH. 


73 


political offender find an asylum and refuge, upon a soil 
from which, the despots of Europe are not, cannot 
tear him ! (Great applause.) 

“ Like assimilates with like. England and America 
are engaged in generous rivalry, each glorying in the 
success of the other. Ocean steam-navigation brings 
us nearer to your shores, and is fast tending to make 
the Atlantic to us a Pacific Ocean. (Cheers,) 

“Well may we mingle around the festive board in 
the sincerity of friendship and brotherly love. These 
‘ merrie meetings’ make us better acquainted with each 
other. Here, divested of care, the toils and troubles of 
life, we shine forth the natural, not the artificial man. 
Indulging in these thoughts, I have almost forgotten 
the purpose for which I rose. As an humble citizen of 
America, I respond to the sentiment, ‘ The Sons of 
America: May they emulate the example of their 
illustrious AVashington and Eranklin.’ 

“ Such a sentiment, coming from English hearts, 
pronounced by the lips of British freemen, and receiving 
the enthusiastic reception which Englishmen can give to 
that which is heartfelt and sincere, comes with great 
force. We thank you for your generous wish. And, 
though we cannot boast of possessing in their perfect¬ 
ness the godlike virtues of a Washington, or the plain, 
straight-forward simplicity and integrity of a Eranklin, 
yet do we all unite in preserving that halo of glory 
which their names and deeds have thrown around our 
country. Through them have we assumed our high 
place in the political region, and, like tie milky-way, 
whiten along our allotted portion of the hemisphere. 
It shall be our duty first to preserve inviolate that union 
which the blood of our sires has cemented together. 
AVe will protect it from the grasp of a foreign foe, as 
well as protect it from the suicidal hands of domestic 
fanaticism. We strive to maintain national faith and 
honor, pure and intact. In this, at least, shall we live 
worthy of a Washington. We strive to promote art 

h 


74 


MR. LABAU’s SPEECH. 


and science, and drive for ever from our fair land, igno¬ 
rance and superstition. In this shall we live worthy of 
him who, Promethean-like, drew down to earth the tires 
of heaven, and made the forked lighting subservient to 
his genius. 

“ Plaving done this, we extend to England the right 
hand of fellowship, and promise to stand with her in all 
good and great works in the defence of liberty, and in 
the maintenance of the religion of our fathers. It does 
not require the vision of a seer to perceive that the 
time will come when England and America must form 
a close alliance. The mariner sees in the cloud no 
larger than his hand danger and tempest. Such clouds 
are now seen in the political horizon. As men having 
at heart the good of our country and the cause ol 
human kind, it behoves us to watch and guard. There 
is yet to be fought the great battle of nations ; whether 
it be as against the onward crushing march of despotism 
on the one hand, or the wild, roaming and ungovernable 
passions of men let loose for the destruction of their 
kind on the other. How, when, or where it shall come, 
no man knoweth; and yet each and all of us feel, in 
the solemn stillness which pervades the earth, that the 
elements are gathering for fearful strife. Heaven’s 
breezes bear upon their wings the groans of Europe’s 
down-trodden millions. Autocrat diplomacy, which has 
for its object the plunder of the weak, is weaving 
around the governments of Europe a net-work intricate 
and dangerous. It is the modern Delilah, through 
whose instrumentality the institutions of liberty are to 
be shorn of their strength, and delivered over into the 
hands of the Philistines. In that hour of strife, and 
the night of horror which precedes it, let England and 
America be found together standing firm as adamant. 
Let England, sitting proudly upon the bosom of the 
waters, receive upon her white cliffs the wild waves of 
popular commotion, to hurl them back into the angry 
flood from whence they sprang. Ay, let our banners be 


ALDERMAN ANDREW’S SPEECH. 75 

entwined together, and defended by the dauntless hearts 
of Englishmen and Americans, whose battle-cry shall 
be, ‘For God, the religion of our fathers, liberty, and 
freedom.’ 

£C Gentlemen, I have already trespassed too long upon 
your patience. Allow me, however, ere I close, to 
thank you in behalf of my respected father-in-law, and 
of our party, for your kindness and hospitality. We 
have been the recipients of your kindness, and we are 
sensible that we owe it not to any peculiar merit of our 
own, but to the fact that we are American citizens. As 
such, and as strangers, we came among you, and you 
send us hence your firm, fast friends. Upon this shoal 
of time have we met, and in the fulfilment of our 
destiny must again separate. Soon a mighty ocean 
shall roll between us. But distance shall not efface 
from our thoughts the recollection of your kindness, nor 
destroy the emotion of love and respect we shall enter¬ 
tain for you. In after years we shall think of this 
hour, and shall regard it as an oasis in the desert of 
life’s pilgrimage, around which memory shall love to lie 
lingering, 

‘ Like Adam near lost Paradise.’ 

“ In conclusion I give you this sentiment: 

“ ‘The Lion of England and the Eagle of America: 
May they hunt the foe together; and that which the 
keen sight and fierce talons of the one shall hunt out and 
take hold of, shall be utterly destroyed by the mighty 
strength of the other.’ (Cheers.) 

“ Mr. Alderman Andrews, in proposing the next 
toast, said that during the last few years there had been 
so many manifestations of the union and good feeling 
subsisting between the people of England and America 
—between New Fork and Southampton—that they 
seemed to be, indeed, one people and one family. 
(Hear, hear.) The St. Lawrence visited them as a war 
frigate, and they welcomed Captain Paulding and his 
officers as members of one common family. Time 

H 2 


70 


CAPTAIN ELDRIDGE'S SPEECH. 


rolled on, and the St. Lawrence visited their port again, 
when the American people sent over in her a large 
freight to the Great Industrial Exhibition of 1851, and 
the same hospitable reception was awarded to Captain 
Sands and his staff of officers. And now they had 
another opportunity, in the visit, on a trip of pleasure, 
of the splendid steam yacht North Star, the property 
of a noble-minded man, who had brought with him his 
interesting family. (Applause.) The qualities of this 
noble vessel had been spoken of by the whole of the 
press, and the conduct of the worthy Commodore, his 
family, Captain Eldridge, and the officers, was deserving 
of all praise. Never had they experienced more courtesy 
and generosity than from all on board this fine yacht. 
He had to propose £ Success to the North Star, her 
commander, officers, and crew.’—The toast was drank, 
with loud and long acontinued cheering. 

“ Song, Mr. Ransforu,— c Old Simon the Cellarer.’ 

“ Capt. Eldridge said he was much obliged to them 
for the honor they had done to the toast, especially for 
the way in which it had been received. It went down 
as though it was good. (Laughter and cheers.) It was 
always gratifying to a man, and especially on such an 
occasion, to have his health drank so unanimously, with 
such kind feeling He was glad to say that he felt no 
embarassment—he felt quite at home. (Hear, hear.) 
The reception they had experienced was a source of 
gratitude to himself, and his officers and crew, most of 
whom, he was proud to say, were the sons of gentle¬ 
men. (Hear, and cheers.) This was the first time he 
had visited Southampton; and he was much pleased 
with the port, the entrance of the docks, and the ex¬ 
cellent accommodation afforded (loud cheers),—at the 
courtesy they had experienced, and the police and all 
other regulations appertaining to the docks. (Hear.) 
The visit of the North Star had created some interest, 
and he thought it was justly due. It was a noble and 
glorious enterprise, and he felt proud of the ship and 


REV. .7. W. WYLD’s SPEECH. 


77 


the position he held in her. The Commodore had con¬ 
ferred an honor upon him in giving him the command, 
and he thanked him for it. He was proud of him as a 
man, and also of his sons and daughters,—he loved 
them all. Every captain was proud of his own ship, 
and he had no wish to be particular in this respect. 
(Laughter and cheers.) He thanked Mr. Andrews for 
the courtesy, kindness and hospitality, he had received 
at his house; and he thanked them all for the honor 
that had been conferred on the gallant Commodore and 
his party. The North Star was opened to the public 
last week, and he then hoisted the English flag by the 
side of the American, and so he hoped the two flags 
would long continue. (Loud cheers.) England and 
America, if separated, may get into difficulties, but, 
united together, they will whip the world. (Loud 
cheering.) 

“ The Kev. J. TV. Wyld, in proposing the next toast, 
said it had been remarked by a speaker,—one of their 
brethren from America { who had preceded him,—that 
we were prone to take up with things as they offered 
themselves to us, without inquiring into them,—to 
wander by the stream, without caring to seek out its 
source. Such a remark was naturally suggestive of the 
fact that the significance of an incident or event was 
materially connected, in our judgment, with the aspect 
under which it was viewed. Thus was it in reference 
to the present festivity, and the circumstances which 
had given rise to it. He could imagine many a listless 
spectator looking on the North Star yacht, now lying 
by the quay of our docks, without attaching any mean¬ 
ing to the simple circumstance that she was lying there. 
He could likewise imagine some one of those good- 
natured people, to be found in society, whose pleasure 
seems to consist in calling in question the seasonable¬ 
ness of the pleasures which every one else enjoys (hear, 
hear),—he could' imagine some one of those good- 
natured people inquiring, c Why so much ado about a 


78 


KEY. J. W. WILD’S SPEECH. 


gentleman and his family coming to port in their own 
vessel?’ ‘Is this a matter to be noticed by demon¬ 
strations of joy and public feasting ? ’ ‘ What is there 

in such an incident to originate a banquet under the 
auspices of the Mayor and the principal merchants and 
traders of the town? ’ Such inquiries as these he was 
fully prepared to meet. (Hear, hear.) In his humble 
opinion, the arrival of Commodore Vanderbilt was 
associated with much that was highly significant, and 
which gave not only the foundation of reason and pro¬ 
priety to their present proceedings, as being a friendly 
welcome, but also as having a beneficial bearing on the 
national relationships of two great countries for the 
future. (Applause.) It was significant of the ad¬ 
vanced state of the world at this time, to behold a 
gentleman freighting a vessel with those who were 
nearest and dearest to him on earth, and confidently 
setting out to traverse the greater half of the globe, 
and pay his respects to the chief civilized nations. 
(Cheers.) It was significant of the advanced state of 
science and art; for, without the knowledge of the aid 
which there could be summoned to afford him, the 
practicability of his carrying out his purpose within a 
given time, and thus making a tour of recreation thou¬ 
sands of miles away from home a limited episode in 
the gigantic activities which employed him in his own 
country, would never have found a place in his thoughts. 
It was significant, also, of the advancement of com¬ 
merce ; for it was a man whose wealth had been 
amassed in commerce that was enabled thus, in his 
own vessel, to transport himself at pleasure to distant 
shores. (Hear.) He desired, therefore, plainly to 
assure those who were guests on this occasion, that 
they who had invited them to this entertainment could 
give a reason for such invitation ; that they knew what 
they were doing; that this festivity was not a mere 
ceremonial of etiquette (hear, hear, and loud cheers),— 
not the form into which a momentary impulse of 


ItEV. J. w. wyld’s speech. 


79 


courtesy had shaped itself;—but a deliberate expres¬ 
sion of sincere feeling,—a real English-hearted welcome. 
(Renewed cheering.) He had seen it stated that their 
chief guest, Commodore Vanderbilt, was a * self-made ’ 
man. He could not understand, however, in what the 
peculiar force of this epithet consisted. It was a de¬ 
scription which, in his humble judgment, belonged, as 
a matter of course, to all men of honorable celebrity. 
Divine Providence did not, at the first hand, so to 
speak, make men great, or honorable, or useful. This 
was, in a measure, left to be the work of their own 
prudence, industry and integrity. There were ma¬ 
terials placed within their reach by Providence, out of 
which they might elaborate to themselves a station 
and a name amongst their fellow-men; and, if these 
were judiciously and opportunely employed by them, 
they became great. (Hear.) Similar advantages and 
similar opportunities might be granted to two men of 
similar abilities; but the one, neglecting these advan¬ 
tages and opportunities, and being unfaithful to his 
own inward monitions, passed through life unknown, 
and at length descended to the grave unmissed, un¬ 
honored and unsung; whilst the other, duly improving 
every advantage, wisely using every opportunity, and 
loyally heeding every dictate of an enlightened judg¬ 
ment within him, became a man whom a nation might 
be proud to call its own, and whom the admiration of the 
world would be ready to honor. (Applause.) In wel¬ 
coming, then, such a c self-made ’ man amongst them 
to-day, they were also testifying their homage to the 
great cause of commerce, with which his greatness was 
identified; and, in doing this, their proceedings might 
be viewed as further including an unfeigned regard for 
the cause of civilization in general; for commerce was the 
offspring of peace, and in proportion as peace prevailed 
commerce was favored, and in proportion as commerce 
was favored the mutual intercourse of mankind was 
promoted ; and in proportion as the mutual intercourse 


80 


REV. J. W. WYLD’S SPEECH. 


of mankind was promoted, good understandings, friend¬ 
ship, and true brotherhood amongst the individuals of 
our race, were fostered. (Applause.) He had heard of 
a Scottish farmer, who, in the course of one of his 
morning rambles, beheld, through the mist that covered 
the valley along which he was proceeding, a figure ap¬ 
proaching him, like that of a giant, brandishing a club 
wherewith to smite down everv living creature that 
might come in his way. Startled at this strange ap¬ 
pearance, the farmer for a moment paused ; but, seeing 
the monster continuing to advance, he felt his native 
valour instinctively urge him on to the encounter. As, 
however, he continued to come nearer to the figure, 
and the figure came nearer to him, and the mist be¬ 
tween them both began to clear away, the farmer 
beheld the form of the stranger reduced from the 
proportions of a giant to those of an ordinary man, 
and his terrible club tnrned into a moderately-sized 
walking-stick; and when at the last he actually came 
up to the said figure, he became apprized of the fact 
that, so far from its being a giant, or even a stranger, 
it was his own brother. Thus had it often happened 
in the history of human society. Men beheld each 
other at a distance, and through the mists of prejudice 
and ignorance, as strangers and monsters; but, as they 
came nearer to one another, and the mists which had 
distorted their figures in the eyes of one another cleared 
away, they found themselves to be brethren to one an¬ 
other. (Loud cheers.) It was only because men were 
reciprocally unacquainted that misunderstandings and 
dislikes, hatred and all kinds of erroneous estimates, 
were mutually promoted. Repetitions of such a scene 
as the present were amongst the best modes of dispel¬ 
ling foolish and false feelings between man and man, 
and truly contributing to insure the peace of the world, 
and consequently the interests of commerce. He be¬ 
lieved, indeed, that there might arise occasions when 
war was a righteous duty. (Hear, hear.) He spoke 


HEY. J. W. WYLD’S SPEECH. 


81 


this guardedly, and consistently, in his judgment, with 
his being a minister of peace. He held that there 
might be times when it was incumbent on every good 
citizen, every true lover of his country, to buckle on 
the weapons of fight at the bidding of the chief magis¬ 
trate, and hold himself in readiness to be disposed of 
as being set for the defence of his fatherland. (Hear, 
hear.) Yet he would observe that such a view as this 
regarded war as a horrid necessity only, on the suppo¬ 
sition that every other method for vindicating right 
and justice had been adopted. But, alas! how gene¬ 
rally had wars been fomented by the ambition and 
avarice of princes and rulers. Wars, as they had 
appeared on the page of history, had been the argu¬ 
ments of madmen, or the reckless staking of the wel¬ 
fare of thousands to serve the folly of one or a few. It 
was not the interest of the people of one country to 
quarrel with those of another, whatever might be the 
designing aims of their rulers. (Loud cheers.) Nor 
would they ever quarrel, if left to follow out the 
development cf the commercial spirit. It was this 
spirit, he believed, which had, in times past, invariably 
been the reverse of blessedness to every community. 
He could not resist the impression that many of those 
who, in ancient times, were most renowned, were men 
of commerce, and not men of war. Abraham and the 
other patriarchs, it was well known, were large sheep- 
owners. And, for his own part, he doubted not that, 
if we could get at the right explanation of many tra¬ 
ditions that have come down to us from the first ages 
of the world, your traders, your men of business, would 
be found holding the chief and most important posi¬ 
tions. What should hinder us from getting at the 
most satisfactory explanation of the story of Jason and 
his £ golden fleece,’ by assuming that this Jason was 
one of the ‘ go-ahead ’ men of his time, and, having 
freighted his vessel with a cargo of what might have 
been the Manchester goods of that era, he returned 


82 


rev. dr. c houle’s speech. 


home with a sheep’s skin full of gold as the result of 
the sales he had effected P It was just such meetings 
as the present that tended to make the commercial 
spirit between England and America the bond of 
peace. The influence of such a meeting could not be 
calculated. It would not be limited to the personal 
feeling of those who had honored them as their guests 
that day; it would have a wider range of extension, 
and the cordial greeting here given to one of the prin¬ 
cipal merchant princes of America would become known 
throughout his country, and, as often as referred to, 
would be productive of the most desirable and kindly of 
feelings. The hope had been expressed that the eagle of 
America and the lion of England would alwavs be 
found hunting together. Yes, he trusted that they 
would thus hunt, in company and harmony, for the 
purpose of removing all meaner birds and beasts of prey 
from the face of the earth, and for the clearing away of 
everything that was destructive to the world’s civiliza¬ 
tion. The interests of England and America were the 
same. There was a family tie between John Bull and 
his son Jonathan, and the peace which was essential to 
its preservation was bound up in their commercial re¬ 
lationships. This, then, was the sentiment of the toast 
he was intrusted to propose— £ England and America : 
May peace and commerce long unite them.’ The 
reverend gentleman was loudly cheered on resuming 
his seat. 

“ The Bev. Dr. Choules, in rising to acknowledge 
the toast, was much applauded. He said: 

“ I suppose that I have been called upon to respond 
to this toast on account of my relation to England and 
the United States. I am a native of England, but 
have been a resident in the American Union for thirty 
years. I love the land of my birth, and I glory in the 
country of my choice. No man lives who longs more 
than I do to see these great and glorious lands united 
in the bands of cordial, brotherly attachment, and I 


REV. DR. CHOULE'S SPEECH, 


83 


am glad to know that all good men in both of them 
participate in this desire; and, if it were not for the 
denaturalized efforts of a few corrupt leaders of the 
press, and a handful of partisan demagogues, the feel¬ 
ing would be almost universal in Great Britain and 
America. Our happy country has much to enlist the 
warm affections of her citizens. Sir, America has a 
history of which we may be proud. Her founders 
were not children suckled by a she-wolf in the woods,— 
they were no fugitives from a ruined Trov; but they 
were a rare race of men, reared up for a rare purpose. 
They sought what England did not then afford; and 
they found the object of their pilgrimage, 

‘ A faith’s pure shrine. 

Freedom to worship God.’ 


“ Now, every nation on earth is turning to America 
the look of imploring pity ; long, long may she be the 
lighthouse of the world,—the evangelist of the nations! 
(Hear, and cheers.) As soon as our citizens land in 
England, they feel at home, thoroughly at home ! We 
love to call England ‘ the old country/ £ mother coun¬ 
try,’ and * land of our fathers.’ What sort of a 
land should we now possess if we had a Spanish origin, 
a French descent ? Let the distracted states of South 
and Central America furnish the solution. (Hear, hear.) 
Americans claim an eqnal interest, as Mr. Clarke has 
eloquently told you, in your Milton, Bacon, Newton, 
Burke, and Boyle; these and Shakspeare are as much 
ours as they are yours. These intellectual treasures 
belong to us as much as they do to the lords of the 
British soil. This patrimony is ours; and our sons 
have had their patriotism animated by careful study of 
the acts and sufferings and speeches of your Hampdens, 
Bussells, Vanes and Sydneys. Land of our fathers, 
and the home of a civilization such as our world cannot 
parallel! far distant be the day when Americans shall 
cease to feel devotion at the shrine of thy mighty dead, 


84 


REV. DR. CHOULe’s SPEECH. 


and gather fresh inspiration from their genius, learning 
and virtues ! (Loud cheers.) 

“ When we land in vour venerable town, Sir, we, too, 

«/ ___ 

have local associations of the tenderest character. We 
cannot forget that hence sailed the Mayflower and her 
precious freight. On board that ark was written the 
first constitution that insured to man the enjoyment of 
equal laws and full liberty of conscience. Probably 
many who saw that ship depart regarded it as a matter 
of small moment; only the departure of a few weary 
men and women panting for a land of freedom, where 
they could worship God free from oppression and per¬ 
secution. These men had small means, and wore 
plain habiliments. Thus it is in the providence of God, 
who often connects ultimate grandeur with apparent 
original insignificance. Newton, you know, ascended 
to the loftiest heights of science by the acquisition of 
the alphabet; the Saviour of the world was once the 
occupant of a stable; and the foundations of our holy 
religion were laid by a few poor fishermeu. Yes, I 
think it probable that men, standing on your beautiful 
shores, gazed and smiled at the Mayflower as she de¬ 
parted from your waters ; but they were looking at 
men who were to found an empire of freedom, and 
who, soon after landing in a long-boat from their wea¬ 
ther-beaten bark, kindled up a beacon fire which Avill 
yet enlighten the world, and carried with them a leaven 
which has yet to leaven the whole mass of suffering 
humanity. (Hear, and cheers.) 

“ When we land in Southampton, we cannot forget 
your illustrious Watts, whose songs have charmed and 
taught our childhood, animated the devotions of our 
fathers’ sanctuaries, and placed notes of triumph in the 
lips of myriads as they have gone through the valley 
of the shadow of death. The true interest of Britain 
and the United States is to cultivate a brotherly regard ; 
our interests are identical. "(Yes, yes.) 

“ If Americans visit England, and Englismen visit 


DEPARTURE FOR EXCURSION. 


85 


the United States, interchanging civilities and hospi¬ 
talities, as we are now doing, no premier nor govern¬ 
ment of either country can ever set these great nations 
at war,—a game which rulers cannot play at when the 
people are wise and virtuous. (Applause.) 

“ I 'beg leave, Sir, to propose c The health of that 
venerable lady, Mrs. Vanderbilt, the mother of your 
honored guest.’ 

“ This toast was warmly responded to by the com¬ 
pany. 

44 Commodore Vanderbilt said he had been accus¬ 
tomed, all his life, to go direct to a point; and he 
would therefore, without preface, propose 4 The Mayor 
and Corporation of Southampton.’ Drank with loud 
cheers. 

“ Glee, by the Hansford family— 4 Sportive little 
trifler.’— Bishop. 

44 The Mayor briefly replied, remarking that the 
Mayor and Corporation had arduous duties to perform, 
but such seasons as this amply repaid them for all their 
troubles and difficulties. 

44 Mr. Mayes, in a few eulogistic remarks on that 
gentleman’s character and conduct since his residence 
in Southampton, proposed the health of 4 Mr. Croskey, 
Consul of the United States of America; and prospe¬ 
rity to the Ocean Steam Navigation of New York.’ 
The toast was warmly received, and acknowledged, in 
a few words, by the Mayor, on behalf of Mr. Croskey. 

44 The toasts of 4 The Town Clerk ’ and 4 The Press,’ 
were subsequently drank and responded to, and the 
company separated, looking forward with agreeable 
anticipations to a pleasant excursion on the morrow.” 

“EXCURSION HOUND THE ISLE OF WIGHT AND 

TO SPITHEAD. 

[Taken from New Hampshire Independent.'] 

“On Tuesday morning, about four hundred persons, 
consisting of the Mayor and Mayoress, many members 

I 



86 EXCURSION ROUND THE ISLE OF WIGHT. 

of the corporate body, the principal merchants and 
tradesmen of the town, a goodly party of ladies, &c., 
availed themselves of the kind offer of Commodore 
Vanderbilt to take a trip in the North Star ; and, ac¬ 
cordingly, about half-past eleven o’clock, the gallant 
vessel steamed away from the dock-head, an excellent 
band on board playing the national anthem, and the 
national colors of England and America proudly float¬ 
ing in the breeze from the mast-heads. Several hun¬ 
dreds of persons had assembled on the docks to witness 
her departure. The invitation-cards notified a trip to 
Spithead, to view the Duke of Wellington, the magni¬ 
ficent new screw three-decker, and the other ships of the 
squadron lying at Spithead ; but after passing Calshot 
Castle, the party on board were delighted to find that 
the bow of the North Star was turned to the westward, 
and that a trip round the Isle of Wight had been re¬ 
solved on. The weather was fine, and the Solent and 
the Channel were perfectly calm. The magnitude of 
the yacht and the smoothness of the sea prevented 
much motion being felt during the whole of the voyage. 
The afternoon being beautifully fine and clear, the 
lovely and majestic scenery, for which the back of the 
Wight is so justly celebrated, was mueh enjoyed by all 
on board, especially by the American ladies and gen¬ 
tlemen, and a more delightful trip was never made. In 
passing Ventnor, flags were run up the several flag- 
posts on shore, in compliment to the North Star, which 
was returned on board by dipping colors, and firing a 
succession of salutes. About four o’clock the North 
Star got to Spithead, and steamed twice through the 
fleet, thus affording the company an opportunity of 
seeing the Duke of Wellington, and the other ships of 
the squadron moored there. The fleet comprises the 
Duke of Wellington, 131; Ajax, 60 ; Blenheim, 60 ; 
Hogue, 58 ; Edinburgh, 58 ; Sidon, 22 ; and Odin, 16 . 
On nearing the first-named magnificent and stupendous 
ship, the North Star fired a royal salute, the whole 


SPEECHES IN THE CABIN, ETC. 87 

company on board cluering, and the band playing 
‘ God save the Queen. 5 This demonstration was re¬ 
plied to from the Duke of Wellington by cheering, on 
the part of the crew, who manned the rigging for the 
purpose, and dipping the ensign. The guns were not, 
however, returned,—naval etiquette preventing a salute 
in honor of a private and non-official personage. The 
sight at Spithead was a very imposing one, and, com¬ 
bined with the inspection of the lovely natural wonders 
ranging the coast, from the Needles on the west to the 
Culver Cliffs on the east, rendered this one of the most 
interesting and pleasant excursions ever made in this 
part of the world. 

“ After leaving Spithead, the gallant yacht steered 
for Southampton; and, during her progress up the 
Southampton river, the company assembled in the 
saloon, where they were briefly addressed by the 
Mayor. His worship acknowledged, on behalf of the 
people of Southampton, the great compliment that 
Commodore Vanderbilt had conferred on them by 
visiting their port, and the kindness and courtesy of 
himself and family in throwing open to the public his 
yacht,—an object worthy of much curiosity; and, 
after dwelling on the advantages which an interchange 
of civilities amongst individuals belonging to two of 
the greatest nations of the world must produce, he 
proposed three cheers for Commodore Vanderbilt and 
his family. This call was right heartily responded to 
by the company, whose cheers rung through the ship 
for several minutes. Major Labau, on behalf of the 
Commodore, thanked the Mayor and inhabitants of 
Southampton for the cordiality with which they had 
been, received, reiterating the kindly and fraternal 
sentiments which characterized the speeches delivered 
at the banquet on the preceding day, and which cannot 
but be productive of good feeling and amity between the 
nations. The company were subsequently addressed 

i 2 


88 


SPEECHES IN THE CABIN, ETC. 


in obedience to calls made upon them, by the llev. 
A. McLaren and E. Cooper, Esq., by which time the 
yacht had reached the entrance of the Southampton 
docks, where the excursionists took leave of their 
American friends, amidst the warmest expressions of 
affectionate regard and esteem. 

“ During the whole of the day the greatest attention 
and courtesy was shown by the Americans to their nu¬ 
merous guests. The whole of the ship was thrown 
open to the visitors, and refreshments of every kind 
were served in the most lavish abundance. Although 
the number of persons on board (including the Com¬ 
modore and his family, the crew, &c.) could not have 
been much under five hundred, yet the great size of 
the ship, the splendid fittings and roomy arrangements 
of the cabin and saloons, and the convenient and ex¬ 
tensive promenade afforded on the spar deck (nearly 
three hundred feet long), and other portions of the 
vessel, caused the party to appear by no means a large 
one. After dinner, the young folks repaired to the 
gun-deck, and had a joyous time in waltzing, with 
excellent music from the band. Among the visitors on 
this excursion were W. H. Willis, Esq., of Bristol, 
and the Lev. Mr. Gunn, of Warminster, who came on 
purpose to visit the yacht. 

“ The North Star goes through the water most 
beautifully, and with great speed, the machinery 
working with exquisite smoothness. The two large 
sway-beams, working on deck at a great elevation, and 
communicating the driving-power to the ponderous 
cranks below, are a novel feature in this country, and 
give the ship a curious appearance from the distance. 

“ The North Star ran alongside the dock-head about 
half-past six o’clock, and the band played the national 
anthems of England and America whilst the company 
were landing.” 


DEPARTURE FOR THE BALTIC. 


89 


“ DEPARTURE OF THE NORTH STAR. 

Immediately the English guests were all landed, 
the North Star put about, and bade a final adieu to 
Southampton, starting for the German Ocean. It is 
understood that she will proceed up the Baltic and the 
Neva, and from thence Commodore Vanderbilt will 
visit the shores of the Mediterranean. 

“ Commodore Vanderbilt has left behind him agree¬ 
able reminiscences of his kindness and courtesy from 
the moment of his arrival. It is calculated that at 
least ten thousand persons have inspected the North 
Star at Southampton.* The yacht will not again call 
here, as she is to touch at Havre on her way from the 
Baltic trip to the Mediterranean.” 

* A large party of visitors came on board at Southampton, who came 
from Scotland direct to visit the North Star. 






90 


CHAPTER VII. 

VOYAGE — COAST OP NORWAY—KBONBORG CASTLE AND ELSINORE — 

* 

SHIPS IN THE SOUND — COPENHAGEN — BORNHOLM AND OLAND 
ISLANDS—DR. LINSLY—MIRAGE—DAGO ISLAND—STEAMER NEPTUNE 
—CRONSTADT—FORTIFICATIONS—DOCKS—SHIPPING—PUBLIC BUILD¬ 
INGS— CHOLERA — PETERHOFF—WOODS—VAUXHALL HOTEL—MARLY 
AND MONPLAISIR — PETER THE GREAT — HIS HOUSE — FURNITURE — 
COTTAGE OF CATHERINE—A RIDE THROUGH THE GROUNDS—WATER¬ 
WORKS, ETC.—PETERHOFF IMPERIAL PALACE—IMPERIAL YACHT AND 
GRAND DUKE CONSTANTINE—ADMIRAL GLASSENOFF—MR. MULLER— 
MINIATURE PALACE—COSSACKS. 

June 14.—Immediately after landing our friends at 
Southampton, we steamed off, at about eight o’clock 
p.m., for St. Petersburg, making use of only two 
boilers, and consuming only twenty-five tons of coal. 
The intense fog, which sprang up and continued for 
the next two days, deprived us of much enjoyment, 
and on the 15th and 16th we were unable to take ob¬ 
servations. The 17th was a delightful, balmy day, 
and the sea continued, as it had been leaving England, 
like a sea of glass. On the morning of the 18th we 
were all on deck at sunrise, enjoying a most charming 
view of the coast of Sweden and Denmark, as wc 
were sailing through the narrow passes of the Skager 
Eack and the Cattegat. This is the anniversary of the 
battle of Waterloo, and controversy runs sharp be¬ 
tween the admirers of Wellington and the Emperor. 
Alison’s history is in great demand, and, of course, 
is criticised pretty freely. A recent attempt in New 
York to bolster up every act and opinion of the great 
man is also quoted as an indication of public opinion. 
A more unscrupulous vindication was never written in 


ELSINOHE—SHIPS IN THE SOUND. 


91 


France; and, in many respects, it beats the Emperor’s 
own bulletins. That Napoleon was a great man,— 
that he was, in many respects, a benefactor to France, 
—no one will deny ; but that his restless ambition was 
a scourge to Europe, is apparent; and the wisdom of 
the courts of Europe could devise no safety for them¬ 
selves short of his overthrow. We were all enchanted 
with the prospect that opened upon us as we made 
Elsinore, and obtained a sight of Kronborg Castle, 
which is beautifully situated on the narrowest part of 
Ihe sound, opposite the Sweedish seaport of Helsin- 
borg, about three miles distant. This noble fortress 
was built by Frederick II. at the close of the sixteenth 
century, and is regarded as one of the noblest castles 
of northern Europe. It is built in the Gothic style, 
and has several loftv towers and turrets. The design 
of the fortress was made by the great astronomer, Tycho 
Brahe. It was in this prison that Queen Caroline Ma¬ 
tilda was so long confined, on account of her supposed 
criminal intercourse with Count Struensee. At this 
place is laid the scene of the great play of Shakspeare ; 
but it is all the merest fiction, as we have no proof to 
show that Denmark ever had a Hamlet for its sove¬ 
reign. Elsinore is a pretty town, with five environs; 
its present population is about ten thousand. It is 
calculated that about eighteen thousand ships pass 
through the sound annually, and here it is that the tax 
is paid on their cargoes. This tax was reduced in 
1842, and again in 1846. In 1847 the number of 
vessels which passed Elsinore was twenty-one thousand 
five hundred and twenty-six, and in 1850 there were 
more than seven thousand British ships. 

When we entered the sound we were presented with 
a most extraordinary spectacle; a calm had prevailed 
for a few days, and a vast collection of ships and ves¬ 
sels of all descriptions had gathered together; and 
now we found between Elsinore and Copenhagen, at a 
moderate estimate, 1 think, not less than one thousand, 



92 COPENHAGEN—NIGHT ON THE BALTIC. 

all under way. At one point Mr. Vanderbilt, Captain 
Eldridge, and other members of the party, reckoned 
two hundred and fifty-three sail in sight at once, and 
all, I think, within a circle of two and a half miles. 
Many of these were large ships, and several hoisted 
the stars and stripes. I think the distance from Elsi¬ 
nore to the capital is about twenty-five miles ; and our 
entire passage was one of great beauty. The Sweedish 
shore was very fine, and on the Danish coast we noticed 
several most enchanting spots. Here and there were 
old castles, and several fine woods. It was pleasant to 
observe the churches, all of which looked in good con¬ 
dition. At half-past eleven we stopped our steamer off 
Copenhagen, and a party landed to obtain supplies of 
milk, eggs, butter and poultry. Our friends returned 
from the city after a delay of four or five hours, but 
they brought a good account of the place, and very 
excellent supplies. The best-made butter we saw on 
our whole voyage was that which came on board at 
Copenhagen. Here, too, we obtained fine fish from the 
fishing boats that were near us and returning home. 
At a quarter past four p.m., we were off for Eussia. 

Sunday, 19th June, was as beautiful a day as we 
could desire. The Baltic was as smooth as the Hud¬ 
son, and we were not sensible of any motion excepting 
the rapid progress of our yacht. And now we were 
experiencing the novel pleasure of the long days which 
are known in this season in the high latitudes, and the 
marvellous stories of which we had read in our youth. 
It certainly was strange to find the night only lasting 
for about two and a half hours. This was the case on 
the night after leaving Copenhagen ; and the most of 
it 1 passed on deck, in agreeable chat with Captain 
Eldridge, whose fund of knowledge, acquired by exten¬ 
sive travel and nautical experience, combined with 
great shrewdness of observation, always afforded us 
entertainment. After passing the grounds of Copen¬ 
hagen, and taking our departure from the light-ship, we 


MIRAGE—DAGO ISLAND. 


93 


steered for the light-ship outside Ealsterbo liglit-ship, 
stationed off the reef of the same name; and, on 
rounding this, we steered directly for Bornholm. In 
the evening we passed Bornholm, and I am quite sure 
that no one on board the North Star will ever forget 
the magnificence of the night. It certainly was the 
most glorious nocturnal season that I ever witnessed,— 
** cloudless, and so light that only one or two stars were 
visible, and the moon shone in a milder lustre than 
we had ever before seen. Bornholm is an island be¬ 
longing to Denmark, about twenty miles in length, and 
ten or twelve wide. The shores are lofty, and present 
a bold, rocky appearance, and all around it are dan¬ 
gerous reefs. Bonne is the chief town, on the west 
side. At the north point of the island is a light-house 
built on a mountain, called, I think, Steilebergh, and 
our chart gives it an elevation of two hundred and 
eighty feet above the surface of the sea. About fif¬ 
teen miles east of Bornholm is a large group of rocks, 
called Eartholms ; on one of these there is a castle 
called Christiansoe, and in this place is a small but 
safe harbor. Our course now lay direct for Oland 
Island, and we made the South-head light-house; 
thence sailed for Gottland Island, and, coasting which, 
we made Ostergarns Island and light-house, and then 
sailed for Dago Island. Our good friend, Dr. Linsly, 
was now a sad sufferer. In travelling from Liverpool 
to London he was attacked with a pain in the neck ; it 
kept increasing, and had now become a severe old- 
fashioned carbuncle, of large size. His sufferings were 
very painful, and it was in vain that I prescribed the 
lancet, which he acknowledged was the regular and 
proper thing in such cases provided; but he squirmed 
at tiie fitting remedy, and, doctor-like, refused to take 
his own medicine. Soon after dinner our attention was 
directed to nine large ships-of-war ; they appeared with 
all sail set, and not more than ten or twelves miles off, 
but as we approached they vanished. After sailing for 


94 


CRONSTADT. 


three hours and making forty miles, we came upon the 
Russian fleet, consisting of nine ships-of-tlie-line, that 
were taking their usual summer cruise, and then found 
that we had witnessed a remarkable case of mirage. 

June 20, at nine a.m., we passed the light on Dago 
Island, at the entrance of the Gulf of Finland, and 
before noon were in sight of Nickman’s Shoal, the spot 
where the British steamer, the Neptune, was lost in 
May; her masts and chimney are still standing. We 
now passed by off Revel, and had a good view of its 
towers and shipping, light-houses and innumerable 
buoy-flags. We next steered to pass Kokskar light, 
and then direct for the north side of Hoogland, making 
Rothscar light on our passage. We now headed for 
the Sommers light, and, passing which, we sailed be¬ 
tween the Neva tower and the flags and beacons on 
the Stone ground, directing our course for the Toll- 
beacon light, from whence about twelve miles carried 
us to the island upon which Cronstadt is situated. 

21st, Tuesday.—This is the longest day, and the 
sun did not set till nearly ten o’clock, and then rose 
again before two, and all the interval was one continued 
bright twilight, so that we could read the small type 
of the Courier , and Enquirer, and Herald, on deck with 
great ease. At half-past twelve a bright halo indicates 
the proximity of the sun to the horizon during his 
absence. All were on deck to witness the sun rise, 
and I do not think that we shall soon forget the novelty 
of twenty-four hours of day-light in one day. At ten 
o’clock we stopped opposite the guard-ship. Officers 
came on board, examined our passports, took a list of 
our names, objects, &c. We were then permitted to 
anchor off Cronstadt, and at eleven we were all settled 
down off this great fortress and naval depot. Here we 
were again boarded by officials, and after a few mo¬ 
ment’s explanation they retired, and the captain went 
on shore and made a representation to the governor, of 
our objects and the character of the excursion. He 


FORTIFICATIONS—DOCKS—SHIPPING. 95 

was politely received, and orders were at once given 
for our landing when we pleased. 

Cronstadt is a strongly-fortified garrison, and is the 
great safe-guard of the metropolis. The population in 
the summer, when all is lively in the docks and navy- 
vard, is about thirtv thousand, but in the winter not 
more than twelve thousand. This is the great depot 
of the northern fleet of the empire. In the dock ap¬ 
propriated to the ships-of-war, I should think forty 
might be accommodated ; and when we arrived there 
were twelve ships-of-the-line all undergoing repairs and 
receiving outfit, while in the river, directly around the 
North Star, were several noble steamers belonging to 
government, and we at once recognized the Karnts- 
chatka, built for the Czar in New York a few years 
a£ 0 . An immense harbor for merchantmen attracted 
our notice. It will receive, I should think, seven or 
eight hundred, and certainly not less than five hundred 
were in it during our visit ; among these were several 
of our own country. I noticed the Peterhoff, of Bos¬ 
ton, the Sewell, of the same port, and other eastern 
ships. The fortifications are of vast strength, and it 
seems as if no ship could pass the rocky islet and its 
auxiliary forts with safety, if its passage was disputed. 
The Avater is quite shallow, and the law is exceedingly 
severe against placing any obstruction in the access to 
the Neva. No ballast or waste is allowed to be thrown 
overboard off the town. We found the town without 
any particular charm; but the arsenal, and navy-yard, 
with its ships, impressed us most favorably. The 
navy is as fine-looking as could be desired, and no 
American would feel mortified if he saw such vessels 
carrying the banner of his country. As we lay at 
anchor, we were much gratified to watch the incessant 
transit of steam and tow-boats up and down from St. 
Petersburg to Cronstadt. The scene was one of great 
interest. I differ entirely from the guide-books as to 
the beauty of the shore on the passage to the capital; 


96 


FETERHOFF. 


so far from being tame, I regard the prospect off to 
the right as very tine. From the deck of the North 
Star I saw distinctly the rays of the setting sun play 
on the dome of the churches and the golden spire of 
the admiralty, although we were at a distance of about 
eighteen miles. 

Our friends visited, in Cronstadt, the Marine Cadet 
Building, and the Naval Hospital. These are very 
spacious edifices, and are both conducted admirably. 
They are under the eye of the Emperor, who frequently 
drops in to make an unexpected visitation. The hos¬ 
pital is regarded as a model institution. The streets 
are so wide, and the people in them so few and far 
between, that we instantly felt that the place looked 
solitary. It was here that we learned that the cholera 
was in St. Petersburg, and that not a few cases ex¬ 
isted in Cronstadt. And here I may observe, that, for 
a day before our arrival, and fill the next day, there 
was scarcely a person on board our ship who had not, 
in some degree, the premonitory symptoms of this 
awful scourge of the nations. 

Our friends now divided into parties. Some took a 
steamer to Oranienbaum,—a little town, near to Peter- 
hoff,—to which place they proceeded by droskys, the 
ride being one of about five miles. 

Mr. Vanderbilt chartered a small steamer, and his 
family went direct to Peterlioff, and he remained on 
board. We landed at the Emperor’s wharf, at which 
we found the royal yacht lying, with her steam up. 
She was a very splendid boat, of fine model, and as gay 
as blue paint and gilt ornament could make her. Her 
bow was very fine, and adorned with a golden eagle 
and an imperial crown. The sentries were about to 
dispute our landing at this place, when one of the 
officers, who had visited the yacht the day before, 
stepped up, ordered us to land, and politely assisted 
the ladies, and then gave us direction to the hotel at 
Peterhoff. Peterlioff is the summer residence of the 


RESIDENCE OF PETER THE GREAT. 


97 


Russian court; and I do not wonder that each succes¬ 
sive Emperor makes it his favorite abode. Our walk, 
for half a mile, lay through the most charming wood ; 
and the deep shades had been most evidently the care 
of men who had great taste, and well understood 
wood-craft. IIow our lost Downing would have re¬ 
joiced in this place! We passed by noble oaks, and 
wanted to stop and admire them at once, without 
waiting for a regular survey of the place; and perhaps 
it was an inward premonition that we were on what 
Russians regard as holy ground, for in a short time we 
found that one or two of these glorious monarchs of 
the wood were planted by the hands of that wonderful 
man Peter the Great. 

On getting out of the wood, we entered a village of 
great beauty and elegance, and soon found ourselves 
comfortably ensconced in a hotel known as Vauxhall, 
and which made quite an appearance. The first thing 
was to obtain rooms, and this is a most important 
thing in a Russian tavern, The rooms were most ex¬ 
quisitely neat,—cleanliness itself; the furniture good, 
but scarce ; beds all single ; and the charge was made 
for beds rather than rooms. A sofa, fitted up with 
sheets, paid as well as a bed. After disposing of our 
entire party, the next thing was to get a lunch; and 
this was done very satisfactory, as we were all hungry. 
The provisions were excellent, and, as we found every¬ 
where in Russia, entirely in the style of the French cuisine. 

After our refreshment, we started on a tour of in¬ 
spection. I have visited most of the great palaces of 
England and France, and other countries in Europe, 
but I have seen no locality for a palace that pleases me 
more than Peterhoff.—at least, for a residence in sum¬ 
mer. Its position is good; it is at the mouth of the 
Neva, and commands a fine view of Cronstadt, from 
which it is, perhaps, ten miles distant. Our first sight 
was the residence of Peter the Great; it is not far re¬ 
moved from the old palace. Marly is beautifully sur- 

K 


98 


GARDENS OF THE PALACE. 


rounded by trees, and tlie house is quite small, and 
not very unlike a Dutch farm-house. Its interior is 
quite like some old houses that I remember on the 
North river. In this snuggery Peter died. We saw 
the bed on which he breathed his last; the bed-clothes 
are all preserved, as when he occupied the chamber. 
On the pillow are his caps and night-clothes, and his 
robe de chambre lying on the coverlet of the bed. No¬ 
thing can be more simple than all the furniture. The 
rooms are small; and you can fancy that the old people, 
who live in the cottage have just stepped out. In the 
room adjoining the small chamber are his slippers, 
boots and sedan chair, and other articles of personal 
dress. In a small corner-cupboard are his camp equi¬ 
page, as plain as tin, iron and brass, can be. The 
walls of the kitchen are covered with blue Dutch tiles. 
Nothing indicates that royalty ever resided here, but 
some good Flemish pictures, and a few elegant Japanese 
cabinets and beautiful stands. His escritoire remains 
as he last used it. A long, narrow saloon, which is 
really a covered gallery, lias many portraits; and 
here the Emperor used to walk, and receive his visitors. 
The dining-room was a small apartment, with a circular 
oak table, and the panels of tine Japanese work; the 
lower wainscoating of old black oak. From a noble 
terrace, paved with marble, Peter could gaze upon his 
infant navy, lying off at Cronstadt. The rocks of the 
sea-shore come quite up to the balustrades of the 
terrace, and greatly add to the scenery. The Empress 
Elizabeth used to retire from the pomp of royalty at 
this quiet spot, and is said to have cooked her own 
dinners. We then went to visit the cottage of Catherine, 
the interior of which is excessively rich; and its mir¬ 
rors, and wonderful collection of china and glass, 
entirely captivated ourladies. In no place have I seen 
such magnificent specimens of Dresden porcelain as in 
this gem of a palace; and the gorgeousness of some 
of the apartments struck us peculiarly, after the con- 


ORNAMENTS OF PALACE GARDENS. 99 

trast we had witnessed in the humble apartments of the 
great monarch. We now set off in carriages, to ride round 
the pleasure-grounds, and see the charming villas and 
gardens connected with the present abode of royalty. 
The verdure of the sward, and the foliage of the woods, 
and the gay flowers of the thousand garden beds and 
borders, transcend all that I have known of beauty in 
the country-life of any part of the world; and, when 
we think that all this enchanting display has sprung 
up in six. weeks,—for no longer ago it was absolute win¬ 
ter, and thick snow covered the face of the earth,—we 
feel that we are indeed in a land of wonders, and it is 
with an appreciating understanding of the mystery in¬ 
volved, that we exclaim, of the Great Author of all that is 
fair and excellent, “Thou renewed the face of the earth.” 

The gardens are very extensive,—the drives enclose 
thirty miles; and fish-ponds, temples, villas, &c., are 
too numerous to allude to in detail. The bathing- 
house of the imperial family is a most admirable build¬ 
ing ; and from a chaste marble structure you walk 
down into a large sheet of water, surrounded bv a 
dense foliage of lofty trees. The vast amount of water 
at command enables the imperial owner to rival, if not 
surpass, the celebrated water-works at Versailles. Every 
possible surprise awaits the wanderer through these 
grounds. You are standing to admire some beautiful 
tree; the guide has touched a spring, and every 
branch, and every twig, and every leaf, is turned into 
crystal; and a fountain rises from that tree, which is 
metallic, although the spectator supposed it to be veri¬ 
tably a production of the forest. While passing over 
exquisite bridges from island to island, and in boats 
drawn by stationary ropes, we observed the imperial 
gondolas, which are much used by the royal family. 

On oneof these islets wewerepleasedwithwhat seemed 
to be a beautiful temple; and, ordering the driver to 
stop, we alighted from the carriages, and soon reached 
it on a moveable platform, propelled by two men draw- 

k 2 




100 VISIT OF GRAND DUKE TO NORTH STAR. 

ing on ropes on either side of it. Never was there a 
more blissful retreat than this peaceful spot. The 
temple was a lovely miniature villa. Statuary decked 
the outer niches of the walls. The entrance was 
through a long passage, roofed with ivy; a high wall 
was covered with the same, so trained as to allow 
medallions and marble entaglios on the wall to appear 
as within a frame. Here was a fountain, in the centre 
of a large basin, flowers rare and fragrant, and some 
most precious groups of statuary, forming a coup d’oeil 
at once fairy-like and enchanting. Opening on the 
fountain was a fine spacious summer-room, furnished 
with a rich divan piled up with cushions. In front of 
it stood a small, low table, supporting a reclining 
Cleopatra, the poisonous asp upon her arm, and her 
left hand rested on her heart. Here, too, was a beau¬ 
tiful mosaic table. The next room was peculiarly 
tasteful, and full of comfort. The table, writing-desk, 
statuary, all looked as though the most fastidious taste 
had directed the position of each object. The garden 
of this islet was radient with roses, azaleas, fuchsias, 
and carnations. 

The palace is a large building, painted yellow, and 
picked off with white. It has no very great architec¬ 
tural merits ; but the chapel, which stands at one end, 
has a gorgeous dome, which reflects every ray of light 
from its gilt surface. We were shown through the pa¬ 
lace with every attention, and were much gratified with 
the regal display of objects of art. The malachite, 
porcelain and statuary, were exquisitely beautiful; and 
there were several good paintings. In one large apart¬ 
ment there are more than three hundred portraits of the 
prettiest girls in Russia, executed for Catherine II.; 
and very pretty some of them are, too, in their national 
costumes. From the royal residence clown to the bank 
of the Neva is a series of terraces, and one continued 
series of waterfalls, lakes and fountains. The basins, 
Neptunes, Tritons and cascades, must be seen, for no 


ADMIRAL GLASSENHORFF. 


101 


written description will do them any justice. Again 
and again did we drive round this fairy spot; and vve 
left it never again expecting to see so much that is 
beautiful in the arrangement of gardens and grounds. 

When we returned to Vauxhall, to dinner, we found 
Mr. Vanderbilt, and learned from him that the royal yacht, 
which we had seen at the wharf with her steam on, had 
made a trip to the North Star, and brought as a visitor 
to him the Grand Duke Constantine, the second son of 
the Emperor, and the High Admiral of the Russian 
navy; and, on his return to Peterhoff, he brought Mr. 
Vanderbilt in his yacht, and sent round one of the Em¬ 
peror’s carriages, with the royal livery, to take Mr. and 
Mrs. V. round the place. The Duke made quite a long 
visit on board the North Star, inspected every part of 
the ship with much interest, and requested permission 
to have some officers of the topographical corps allowed 
to come on board, to take drafts of the ship, her cabins, 
engines, &c. This was cheerfully acceded to. These 
gentlemen came, another day, with their portfolios, and 
made capital views of the machinery, &c. With the 
Duke was a geutleman, named Muller, who is on terms 
of some intimacy wfith him, and from whom we conti¬ 
nued to receive very polite and useful attentions while 
we remained in Russia. After dinner we went to the 
parade-ground, in front of the palace, as it was expected 
that the Emperor would be present when the band per¬ 
formed their evening music. While promenading I 
had the pleasure to meet Admiral Glassenoff, who had 
visited our yacht the day of our arrival, and with whom 
I had gone through our steamer. He was very polite, 
gave me every explanation as to the troops, and, point¬ 
ing to a window, told me that the Emperor was in that 
room, and was so engaged that he would not appear on 
the ground. He had that day given audience of leave- 
taking to our minister, Mr. Brown, who was recalled 
by the new administration. Admiral Glassenofi is a 
very intelligent man, about forty or forty-five years ot 





102 


TEA HOUSE. 


age, and has the command of the Naval Cadets who 
are now in three frigates, lying off in the Neva, just 
opposite the palace. The Admiral speaks English to¬ 
lerably well, and very much reminds me of General 
Totten, of the United States’ Engineers, as I remem¬ 
ber him when he resided in Newport. Just as w r e 
were talking, the band struck up a very solemn air; 
all hats were off instantly, and a death-like silence, for 
a tew moments, pervaded the vast assemblage. It was 
the evening prayer, and is observed by the military 
with great solemnity. I have not often observed a 
more devotional observance than that which I was so 
happy as to witness on this occasion. In the evening 
we were all much fatigued ; but our friend Mr Muller 
insisted that I should ride a mile or two, to see the 
new splendid Tea House, which has lately been built 
for the heir-apparent, who has just married. A plea¬ 
sant ride brought us to this most elegant establish¬ 
ment. The Tea House is a miniature palace. It is a 
large, splendid mansion, but small for a regal residence. 
Here everything surpasses, in exquisiteness of furni¬ 
ture and splendor, any palace I have seen in Europe. 
The rooms are quite of moderate dimensions, but the 
style of finish is beyond my previous ideas of domestic 
architectural beauty. The pictures, statuary, hangings, 
are all as beautiful as the art of Europe can furnish. 
The portraits of the Emperor and Empress, Alexander, 
and other members of the royal family, were in the best 
style of the art. I shall never forget the stair-cases, 
the bath-rooms, and the library. The bed-rooms, and 
every part of the establishment, were thrown open to 
our inspection; and the ladies who were with us re¬ 
garded this as the great treat of the day. Other things 
we had seen were of days gone by, but this was the 
splendor of the present age ; and perhaps no palace in 
the world is equal to this bijou in its completeness of 
arrangement. The time-pieces of this palace are of 
vast value. The gardens are fine ; and nature has 


TEA HOUSE. 


103 


done much for the grounds, as off to the right is a 
deep ravine, with fine walks and artificial terraces. 
Here, as at Peterhoff, I noticed the best specimens of 
gillyflowers that I ever saw, whole beds of white 
double-flowers, and some of the deepest scarlet. Roses 
were just beginning to appear; biit the wild ones were 
in profusion. We were all amused at seeing the nurse¬ 
maids, on the parade-ground, with the infants under 
their care. Some of these servants had head-dresses 
which would have been worth looking at in Barnum’s 
Museum. We noticed about a dozen Cossacks of the 
Don. They were stern-looking men, of large propor¬ 
tions, with head-dress of a peculiar cast. They carried 
long spears. Admiral Glassenoff informed me that a 
few of the Cossacks and Circassians are always near the 
person of the Czar, and that it is intended as a compli¬ 
ment to these valuable portions of the army. 



104 


CHAPTER VIII. 


SMALL STEAMER — DRESS OP OFFICERS — VIEW OF ST. PETERSBURG — 
QUEER PROCESSION—HOTELS—POLITENESS—MR. ROPES, U. S. CON¬ 
SUL— SUMMER ISLANDS — PETER THE GREAT’S FIRST HOUSE — THE 
CITY — ADMIRALTY—STATUE OF PETER — NEFFSKY PERSPECTIVE — 
SERFS — VIEW OF CITY BY MOONLIGHT — WINTER PALACE AND ITS 
DEPARTMENTS — REGALIA—THE HERMITAGE — PAINTINGS OF DIF¬ 
FERENT SCHOOLS — THE LOGGIE — PETER’S MUSEUM — PRECIOUS 
STONES—HOROLOGE—WREATHS AND LAURELS FROM CHERSONESUS— 
MARBLE PALACE—ALEXANDER PILLAR—MR. EVANS—MONASTERY OF 
ALEXANDER NEFFSKY—ENGLISH CHURCH—KESAU CATHEDRAL—ITS 
INTERIOR AND SERVICE—ISAAC CHURCH. 

We left Peterlioff in tlie morning boat for St. Peters¬ 
burg, but several of tlie party retained their rooms, and 
went to and fro daily ; but I felt anxious to see as 
much as possible of the city in our brief stay, and 
therefore reluctantly left what I shall ever regard as 
one of the most attractive spots I ever visited. The 
charms of Peterhoff are not its palace and its imperial 
residents, but the glorious exhibition which is laid open 
to the admirers of nature. 

On getting on board the small steamer, we found a 
crowded deck. Very many of the passengers were 
officers; they all wore the dark grey or blue cloak 
reaching to the very heels, and the standing collar' fit¬ 
ting close up to the ears. This, in such hot weather as 
we were then enduring, struck me as remarkable; but 
I afterwards learned that, such is the strictness ob¬ 
served in the army inspection, that not a spot or parti¬ 
cle of dust is overlooked; and that, to protect the per¬ 
son, this immense cloak is part and parcel of every 
Russian officer. Most surely, all I saw wore them, A 


QUEER PROCESSION. 


105 


very queer appearance, too, do these cloaks present 
upon the shoulders of their occupants, because the im¬ 
mense epaulettes extend from the shoulders, and give 
a square form to the upper part of the cloak. I saw 
several tine-looking boys, from ten to fifteen or sixteen 
years old, who were military cadets ; they all wore the 
same order of cloaks, and some of the little fellows, who 
had green uniforms, were made to look ridiculous by 
large cocked hats. 

The appearance of the great city excited our interest, 
and we were all gazing at its golden domes and mina¬ 
rets, so entirely unlike any city we had yet seen. The 
public buildings and the English quay are in them¬ 
selves astonishing structures, and produce a most favor¬ 
able impression on the voyager before he lands. We 
had] no difficulty at the custom-house; our permits 
from the governor of Cronstadt seemed an “open 
sesame ” in our case, and we and our luggage passed 
without any trouble or delay. I do wish that our 
friends could have seen that North Star party on the 
noble quay ! There we were, as devoid of all ability 
to talk Russian as the serf drosky-drivers were to talk 
English. Our friend, Mr. Muller, was soon at our el¬ 
bow, and a little army of droskys was laid under con¬ 
scription. I think the procession that left that quay 
was as ludicrous as any in which I ever had been called 
to figure. My luck secured me an elegant post-chaise, 
and a glass coach conveyed Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt; 
but the rest of the party were bestowed upon the great 
vehicle of the land,—the ever-present drosky. Such 
laughing as we had, as we galloped over the great 
bridge, at our friends, sitting sideways and other 
ways on those hard benches, covered with blue cloth, 
and resting upon apologies for springs, and running on 
four wheels ! An immense baggage-wagon, filled with 
our luggage, brought up the rear, and really looked as 
if we were about to become actual settlers, instead of 





106 


ST. PSTERSBURG HOTELS. 


mere transient sojourners. We first drove to the 
Hotel des Princes, to which we had been strongly ad¬ 
vised. Here we were most politely received by a 
young gentleman, who informed us that the hotel was 
too full to receive so large a party; but he insisted on 
our all coming in till some of the gentlemen could 
make suitable arrangements. We were shown into a 
superb parlor, and immediately the waiters spread a 
table, and placed on it bread, butter, anchovies, cavi¬ 
are, claret, sherry, brandy, ice, and cakes in variety. 
This excellent lunch was very seasonable, as it was now 
twelve o’clock, and the day intensely hot,—quite equal 
to our usual summer heat in New York. Soon after 
we had refreshed ourselves, our friends returned, and 
we found that everything was prepared for our recep¬ 
tion at Denmouth’s, by the side of the Moika canal. 
On calling for our bill, the gentleman who had first 
received us declined making any charge, and we found 
it impossible to put our lunch to any other account 
than the polite attention of the Trench proprietor, Mon¬ 
sieur Auguste. Three gentlemen and their ladies re¬ 
mained at this hotel, and had as elegant accommoda¬ 
tions as could be found, I think, in Europe. We were 
all of us soon comfortably domiciled at our quarters; 
and I may say that I think the hotels of St. Petersburg 
have been slandered as to the cleanliness of their apart¬ 
ments. Most certainly, at neither of the two establish¬ 
ments we tried had w T e any reason to complain, but 
rather were disposed to think them exceedingly com¬ 
fortable. 

It would be wrong not to speak of the kindness 
which me met from our consul, Mr. Popes, and his 
excellent partner and brother-in-law, Mr. Prince. Of 
these gentlemen I have more to say. Mr. Brown, the 
United States minister, left Petersburg the day we 
arrived; but he had, I believe, a short interview with 
Mr. Vanderbilt, us he was on the eve of departure. It 


SUMMER ISLANDS. 


107 


was now that we found the kind services of Mr. Muller 
of great value, and he was indefatigable in his efforts 
to aid our movements in and around the city. 

Soon after taking possession of our hotel, we ordered 
carriages, and, after riding through the great streets of 
this wonderful metropolis of the north, we went to see 
the Summer Islands. If the map is consulted, it will 
show that in the delta of the Neva there are many small 
islands. Some of these are still desert spots, or covered 
with brushwood and small trees, affording covert to 
wolves and bears ; but several of the islets near to the 
city have been reclaimed and placed under the highest 
class of cultivation, and by the aid of bridges, are 
united. These islands are the favorite resort of the 
nobility and wealthy men of St. Petersburg, and innumer¬ 
able houses and villas have sprung up. Our ride was 
one of at least ten miles, and we passed the splendid 
palace of Count Orloff, on the river bank, and through 
a village of cottages which much resembled the rural 
abodes of Switzerland. Yellagin Island is a charming 
spot, and here is the Emperor’s datscha, a very comfort¬ 
able-looking country-house. A prettier view than is 
enjoyed from this spot cannot be desired. The eye 
rests with pleasure on the gay parterres of extensive 
and well-cultivated gardens, on the noble river, and on 
the golden spires, domes and minarets, of the city and 
its innumerable palatial buildings. The avenues of 
these wooded islands are most extraordinary pathways, 
and are cut through dense forests of birch and pine 
wood. Some of the private houses are models of com¬ 
fort and coseyness, and I fancied that enjoyment and 
happiness were no strangers in this delightful region. 
Many of the buildings were apparently mere pineboard 
erections, and of a very extemporaneous character. I 
understand that every one who has the means is in the 
habit of migrating to these truly elysian fields and 
charming islands in the summer months. r lhe small 
retail dealers have their little cottages, and visit their 



108 PETER THE GREAT’S FIRST HOUSE. 

families on Sundays and holidays. The constant im¬ 
provements going on in this city must be made during 
the brief summer, and the dust and dirt, combined with 
occasional excessive heat, afford sufficient inducement 
to flit, as the Scotch call a removal, from town to 
country. 

The estates of the Counts Nesselrode and Strogonoff 
are very extensive, and the houses and parks are rich in 
statuary. Everything I saw would have been a source 
of admiration on the banks of the Seine, or the shores 
of the Arno, and was very far beyond antliing I expected 
to meet on the Neva. I ought to say that nearly all the 
habitations of any mark on these islands had fine green 
and hot houses attached. We were conducted to a 
spacious establishment, where the gardens were large, 
and the orchestra and ball-room opened upon them. 
This place had a mineral spring. We had an excellent 
dinner furnished at a short notice, but there did not 
seem to be much company about. Later in the evening, 
no doubt, we should have seen more persons. The 
price of dinner was fourteen rubles for thirteen persons, 
inclusive of good claret. Our earliest visit inthe city was 
made to the original cottage residence of its founder. 
This is a spot I had longed to see. I wanted to sit 
down in a room where a man had dwelt, and thought, 
and acted, who had done so much to leave his mark 
upon the age in which he lived. It is a very small 
affair, and contains but three apartments. The furthest 
one was his bedroom, the next his chapel, and one off 
to the right was bis room for company. We saw many 
articles that belonged to that great man, kept under 
glass cases ; and pictures, maps, plans and charts, are 
on the walls, as when he resided here. One map of the 
city is of his own draft. The chapel is occupied by a 
priest, and daily service is observed; it was going on 
when we visited it, and the audience consisted of some 
woful-looking devotees, all upon their knees, or with 
their foreheads on the ground. Beads and trinkets 


THE CITY—ADMIRALTY. 109 

were offered for sale to us, and all round the door we 
were beset with monks and nuns from the country, as 
we were told, begging for their conventual institutions; 
and a sad, dirty-looking set they were. The entire 
building, which was originally a log cottage, has been 
surrounded with a plank covering, by the order of the late 
Emperor Alexander. Here, too, we saw a large boat 
which Peter constructed, I suppose, after his initiation 
into boat and ship-building in Holland. Not far from 
this spot we saw the first church which was erected in 
St. Petersburg. 

The city is principally situated on the south bank of 
the Neva, and comprehends several islands; and, as 
much of it was originally a mere marsh, it has had to 
undergo a thorough drainage, which has rendered large 
canals indispensable. These are constructed of the 
most massive materials, and have a fine appearance. 
The date of the city is from 1703 ; and in one century 
and a half all this magnificent metropolis has been 
called into existence by a people supposed to be semi- 
barbarous ; and yet it transends, in many respects, 
every other capital of Europe. I quite agree with the 
lamented Stephens, who stated in his travels, “ I do not 
believe that Rome, when Adrian reared the mighty 
Colloseum, and the Palace of the Caesars covered the 
Capitoline Hill, exhibited such a range of noble struc¬ 
tures as now exist in the Admiralty Quarter.” The 
admiralty itself is the central point, on one side fronting 
the Neva, and on the other a large open square, and has 
a facade of marble, with ranges of columns a quarter 
of a mile in length. A beautiful golden spire shoots 
up from the centre, towering above every other object, 
and seen from every part of the city glittering in the 
sun; and three principal streets, each two miles in 
length, radiate from this point. In front is a range of 
Boulevards, ornamented with trees, and an open square, 
at one extremity of which stands the great church of 
St. Isaac. This scuiare extends to a great distance, and 





110 STATUE OF PETER THE GREAT, 

on it are the Winter Palace, Hermitage, and other 
splendid erections. 

In walking along this square, the admiralty is of! to 
the left. The Neva runs in front of the grand facade. 
Here, too, near by the Isaac church, is the far-famed 
statue of Peter the Great. This is a glorious creation, 
and is regarded as the chef-cVceuvre of Falconet. 

The pedestal is a natural block of granite, just has 
taken from the quarry. Peter is seated on horseback ; 
one hand is pointing significantly, the horse paws the 
air with his fore-legs, whilst the hinder are trampling 
upon a serpent. The weight of the statue is poised on 
the tail of the horse, which is fastened on the stone. 
The inscription on the pedestal is, 

PETRO PRIMO, 

CATHERINA SECUNDA. 

I thought with pride of our own Mills, who has suc¬ 
ceeded so nobly in his equestrian statue of Jackson, 
and in which the horse is self-poised. 

The great street of the city—the Broadway—is the 
Neffsky Perspective, named after Alexander Neffsky, 
the patron saint of St. Petersburg. I think this and 
the other two streets, radiating from the admiralty, are 
two hundred feet wide. The channel-gutter is in the 
middle of the street, and on each side of it are wooden 
pavements broad enough to allow two carriages or 
wagons to cross each other. The pavements are wide 
and well made. Many of the shops and stores on this 
Perspective are fine, and have very much the appear¬ 
ance of similar establishments in New York, Louden 
or Paris. 

I know not how it is, but I never before felt so solitary 
in a large city. There are few persons in the streets, 
and certainly seven out of ten we meet are serfs; and 
all the drosky-drivers are wrapped up in long’ blue 
coarse cloth coats down to their heels, and the waist 
tied with a red scarf, leather thong, or rope. The hat 
is a queer-looking affair, very low-crowned and bell- 


"WINTER PALACE AND ITS DEPARTMENTS. Ill 


shaped. I have never seen so many lifeless, inanimate 
faces as in Russia. The countenance is sallow, eyes 
sunken, and beards are mostly yellow. In these great 
streets, and over the vast admiralty-square, amid the 
palaces and vast buildings, 1 rambled by moonlight, 
and was never weary while watching the queen of 
heaven climbing over dome, minaret and facade. It 
was then that I realized the magnitude of this strange 
city, and felt that it had now an air of antiquity and 
grandeur that no other city I have seen can boast. By 
the light of the moon I could not distinguish the brick 
plaster and stucco from granite or marble ; but by the 
light of day the illusion was dispelled. 

Our visit to the Winter Palace had been arranged by 
the kindness of Mr. Muller, and we found free admis¬ 
sion to eveiy portion of this regal abode. This build¬ 
ing presents a marble front upon the Neva of nearly 
eight hundred feet, and the rear, which lies upon the 
immense square, is of plaster, but richly adorned. Its 
form is a square. On entrance, we all had to deposit 
great-coats, as only dress-coats are tolerated, in the pre¬ 
cincts of imperial majesty. The grand staircase is one 
of wonderful beauty, and we happened to see the great 
caipet put upon it, as the royal family were to visit the 
palace the next day. This wonderful mansion was 
destroyed by fire December 29, 1837, and was rebuilt 
in less than two years. I think no capital in Europe 
can boast of such a royal residence. It is vain to 
attempt a description of so much splendour as I saw; 
for one room after another, till we had gone through a 
hundred, seemed to surpass in magnificence all its 
predecessors. The St. George’s Hall is the most beau¬ 
tiful apartment, I suppose, in the w r orld : certainly it 
is superior to any saloon at Versailles. Imagine a room 
one hundred and forty feet by sixty; on either side are 
twenty columns of porphyry, the bases and capitals 
most richly gilt. These pillars are the support not only 
of the ceiling, but of a noble gallery, the balustrade of 




112 


REGALIA—THE HERMITAGE. 


which is of the most highly elaborate workmanship. 
The Salle Blanche, where the great gala fetes are held, 
is entirely decorated with white ornaments, profusely 
adorned with the richest gildings. In passing from the 
first room to this last, we went through a gallery of 
national portraits ; and among the heroes of the empire 
we were much interested with the likenesses of Barclay 
de Tolly and England’s Iron Duke, Suwarrow, and 
Kutuzoff. The Empress’ state drawing-room was 
thought by our ladies to be the gem of the palace ; and 
certainly its pictures, vases, &c., are wondrous. It is 
gilt from floor to ceiling, except a space of two feet 
from the floor, which is a deep French blue. The 
hangings and furniture of all the royal apartments 
proper entirely surpass the splendour of Buckingham 
Palace, Windsor, and the Tuilleries. 

The room containing the diamonds and regalia ex¬ 
cited the interest of all in our party ; and on no con¬ 
sideration would we have been deprived of the pleasure 
of seeing this unrivalled collection of treasures. Rubies, 
diamonds, emeralds, and pearls,—why, the room was 
full of them. The imperial crown pleased me better 
than any diadem I have seen in the regalia of other 
kingdoms. It is surmounted with a wreath of oak- 
leave& formed of diamonds,—and not small ones,—and 
in the sceptre, is one supposed to be the largest in the 
world. Its history is remarkable. It was purchased 
by Catherine II., from a Greek slave, and for the small 
amount of four hundred and fifty thousand rubles, to 
which was added a pension for life. The time occupied 
by an examination of this palace was double what I have 
ever seen devoted to any other. The servants who 
escorted us all wore the imperial liveries, and were tall, 
fine-looking men. The great dining-room is a very 
noble saloon; and here and in the next room Ave suav 
the immense collection of gold plate, in which the Czar 
surpasses all his royal brethren in Europe. 

The Hermitage Avas the favorite resort of the great 


PAINTINGS OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. 


113 

Catherine, and it is united to the Winter Palace by a 
covered gallery, or, rather, 1 think, by several. This 
building received so much reconstruction when the 
Winter Palace was rebuilt, that it is essentially a new 
edifice.' The portico of this building is really glorious. 
It is supported by ten colossal statues, of Finland gra¬ 
nite, each eighteen feet high. The feet of these are 
twenty-five inches in length. Some of our party 
thought them the true lions of St. Petersburg. They 
are wonderful, no doubt. Opposite to this building is 
the palace where the Emperor Paid met with his tra¬ 
gical end. 

I regard the Hermitage as the great affair of St. 
Petersburg, and certainly prefer it, as a museum of 
paintings and works of art, to the Louvre. I believe 
there are in this building nearly three thousand paint¬ 
ings ; and the galleries embrace the works of all the 
great masters, and especially some of the works of 
Murillo, Snyders, Potter, and furnish the most inter¬ 
esting assemblage of Flemish pictures in the world; 
at least, it is a rival to the galleries of the Hague, Am- • 
sterdam, and Antwerp. I confess that the Dutch 
school is my passion; and here are Ostades, Boths, 
Neefs, Gerard Duows, Denners, Teniers, Wovermans, 
and Mieris, to occupy a month in patient and delight¬ 
ful’ study. The pictures of game, and fruit and flowers, 
are very beautiful. All Europe lias been ransacked, 
and no money has been spared, in obtaining these 
gems of art. "it may be fancied that nothing can be 
much richer, when I state that the collections of Crozat, 
of Paris, Tranchini, of Geneva, Boudin, of Paris, Sir 
Robert Walpole, the Prince of Conde, the galleries ot 
Houghton, Prince Guistiniani’s, Hopes, of Amsterdam, 
and the Malmaison and Coesvelts, are all concentred 
here. One excellence of this noble establishment con¬ 
sists in its order and arrangement. Every school and 
master is in its proper apartment; and no gallery in 
the world has been so admirably arranged, or placed in 




114 PAINTINGS OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. 

such superbly-finished apartments. In all the rooms 
of this building, as well as in the Winter Palace, the 
eye is charmed with vases and candelabra of jasper, 
porphyry and malachite, that can be seen nowhere else 
but in this wondrous capital. 

The room devoted to Rembrandt has more than forty 
of his pictures, and some of them are liis best. I would 
mention “The Prodigal’s Return,” “ Old Woman and 
her Book,” and “ The Monk and his Pupil,” and 
“ Abrabam Sacrificing Isaac,” as peculiarly fine. Mu¬ 
rillo’s St. Mark is a fine production. A Ye all stopped 
in admiration at two very small pictures, of aged women, 
by Denner. They are the most life-like pictures I ever 
gazed upon, not excepting the Raphael portraits in Flo¬ 
rence. The room which contains the Wouvermans 
pictures can never be forgotten by any one who has an eye 
for the beautiful. One, “The Interior of a Stable,” 
is capital; but some of this painter’s pieces here are 
poor enough; and I cannot feel that the Sahator, 
Rosas and Leonardo da Vincis, are all of genuine pa¬ 
rentage. One Holy Family, by this last artist, in which 
I observed St. Catherine is introduced in the place of 
Zecharias, is undeniably his, and is a great picture. 

A portrait of Clement IX., by Carlo Maratti, is one 
of the most impressive portraits ever placed on canvass. 
Here are a large number of small cabinet pictures, 
which I could stand and gaze at and study for hours. 
I would rather look at one good picture for an hour, 
and correct my taste by its careful contemplation, than 
look at a hundred gairish daubs, which are called fine 
paintings by those who judge a picture by its dimen¬ 
sions and the quantity of bright coloring. I think 
I have seen finer pictures by Murillo, in some English 
galleries, and in Paris, than most of those here ascribed 
to the great Spaniard. An unfinished Holy Family, by 
Raphael, did not much please me; but I was greatly 
delighted with his St. George and the Dragon, and 
the Princess on her Knees* This great picture has 


PAINTINGS OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. 115 

been a traveller. It was painted in 1506 } .for the 
Duke of* Lrbino, and presented by him to Henry VII., 
at the death of Charles I. When all the choice works 
of art were scattered, this gem went with the rest, and 
lias now a worthy home. A Madonna, once belonging 
to the Duke of Alba, and afterwards the great attrac¬ 
tion of the Coesvelt gallery, is a world-renowned picture, 
and cost the Emperor more than thirty thousand dollars. 
This has been engraved in London, and is, to my eye, 
one of the most pleasing Madonnas that I know. The 
Virgin Mother is seated in a landscape scene, the Sa¬ 
viour on her lap, while she is reading a book, and 
John, kneeling, offers ihe infant a cup. The mother’s 
expression is exquisitely beautiful. I was greatly de¬ 
lighted with a Judith, ascribed to Raphael, but sup¬ 
posed to be a Moretto. The paintings by Domenichino 
are, I think, not at all equal to some I have seen in 
English galleries, and in the Louvre. And certainly 
this is true of the pictures by Rubens, if I except the 
Martyrdom of St. Sebastian, the Bacchus and Satyrs, 
Perseus and Andromeda. Vandyke has here Charles I. 
and his Queen, and noble pictures they are, too. A 
marriage of St. Catherine, by Corregio, is an interest¬ 
ing production of this great master. 

Hercules strangling the Serpents, by Sir Joshua 
Reynolds, is a famous picture; but lias recently been 
restored, and not very ably, I suspect. “ The Repose 
in Egypt,” by Murillo, is a great effort, and demands 
a careful study. Snyders’ Bear Hunt is a wonderful 
piece of study, and pleased me as much as his great 
Boar Hunt, that I have seen, I think, in Holland. In 
one of the galleries we noticed a copy of Raphael’s 
Loggie. This is by celebrated Italian painters. 

The Loggie are galleries in a part of the Vatican 
palace, and are decorated by Raphael with paintings, 
and stuccoes, and arabesque ornaments. The subjects 
are chiefly mythological subjects. The ceilings describe 
a cycle of events from Scripture history, and these have 






116 THE LOGGIE—PETElt’s MUSEUM. 

been called “Raphael’s Bible.” I turned back to look 
again at Gerard Duow, and Mieris, and Ostade, and 
would gladly have tarried all day over these precious 
panels. But we were off to other portions ot this vast 
curiosity-shop. Here is the Museum ot Peter the 
Great. Here are his clothes, his work-tools, his 
lathes, his finished and unfinished carving and sta¬ 
tuary ; for he was no mean sculptor, as his Abraham 
and Isaac testify. In a glass case he is presented, life¬ 
like, in his wedding-suit of clothes. Never have I seen 
such a collection of jewellery and precious stones as 
are gathered together in these long, long galleries- 
Bouquets, that look as though they had perfume, are 
here by scores, all formed of rubies, emeralds, dia¬ 
monds and amethysts, of inestimable value; watches 
by hundreds, and snuff-boxes and works of art adorned 
by diamonds. 

We came to the conclusion that the buried-up trea¬ 
sures of the Hermitage would meet all the expenses of 
a formidable campaign. No person, who has not 
visited this truly wonderful place, can imagine what 
knick-knackery and works of vertu are crowded into 
one room after another. 

The snuff-boxes which have been presented from 
the Sultans of Turkey are almost too precious to be 
credited. Here is an escritoire that opens to the 
sound of music, and has hundreds of secret drawers, 
all starting out by hidden springs. One of the most 
gorgeous trifles is a vast clock, in a glass case, ten 
feet by six or eight. The clock is a large tree, of 
which the branches and leaves are gold. In the 
foliage is a peacock, who, when the chimes commence, 
expands his tail, and an owl turns up his solemn eyes, 
and a golden cock flaps his wings, and crows lustily. 

The Hermitage contains a fine library, containing 
the private collections of Voltaire, Diderot and Zim¬ 
merman, with those of other illustrious scholars. But 
the grand Imperial Library is one of the largest in 


ANTIQUITIES FROM THE CRIMEA. ll7 

Europe, and now contains nearly half a million of 
books. The MSS. here gathered are invaluable, es¬ 
pecially those bearing upon French and English his¬ 
tory. Here are volumes of original letters, unequalled 
in interest; and every facility is afforded to the stu¬ 
dents in obtaining access to these marvellous treasures. 

One room was intensely interesting. It was devoted 
to antiquities brought from the Crimea; and, if I re¬ 
collect rightly, from a town between the Sea of Azof 
and the Black Sea. These are of the purest gold, and 
of immense value. They were found in tumuli, and 
were of Grecian origin. The laurel wreaths are as 
perfect as if just from the goldsmith’s hands. A hel¬ 
met, or mask, with a shield, are of the highest order 
of artistic skill. No palace in Europe can match this 
unique collection. All the apartments in the Hermit¬ 
age are adorned with the most costly furniture; chairs 
and sofas of exquisite design and material, and centre- 
tables of unknown value, of porphyry, jasper, lapis- 
lazuli, and malachite. One vase, of gigantic propor¬ 
tions, is made of Siberian marble: it is of an oblong- 
form, and its circumference is fifty feet, and its weight 
forty-three thousand two hundred pounds. 

It is tantalizing to look at this place, and to feel 
that, instead of spending a week or two in the treasury 
of art, science and beauty, you must “ do it up ” in 
three or four hours. 

I forget whether here or elsewhere, but I think in 
the Hermitage, it was that I saw Bruloff’s great pic¬ 
ture of the Last Hays of Pompeii. It is, I think, full 
twenty feet by fifteen or sixteen; its management oi 
color is almost as wonderfid as the Avork of Rembrandt, 
and there are figures in the grouping that will live in 
memory. 

The marble palace contiguous to the Hermitage is 
one of the noblest mansions here, and is the residence 
of the Grand Duke Constantine, avIio, although it Avas 
closed for the summer, and all the rooms covered, had 



118 GRAND DUKE CONSTANTINE^ PALACE. 

the politeness to have it thrown open to our party, 
and everything uncovered for inspection. Those who 
went through it were greatly delighted; but I was 
weary of splendid rooms, and preferred a quiet walk, 
and then a drive round and about the city. 

Visits were made to the Admiralty, the Mint, the 
Arsenal, the Fort, the Custom-house and the Corps 
dcs Mines, where a large number of pupils are edu¬ 
cated for governmental service in the vast mines oi 
the empire. Here is the finest mineralogical museum 
in the world, and a description of it would make an 
interesting volume. Under ground is a tine model of 
a Siberian mine, representing all the various appear¬ 
ances of a natural formation. 

Directly in front of the Winter Palace is the Hotel 
de l’Etat Major. On this very immense structure is a 
beautiful group of bronze,—a chariot of Victory, drawn 
by eight prancing steeds. This is a noble work, and 
and is universally admired. Detween the palace and 
this edifice stands the famous Alexander’s Pillar, a 
grand shaft of red marble, from the quarries of Fin¬ 
land. This is surmounted by an angel bearing a cross. 
The height of the monument is nearly one hundred 
and sixty feet. 

In company with my old friend Mr. Evans, of New 
Bedford, who has the superintendance of the imperial 
cordage manufactory, I visited the Monastery of St. 
Alexander Neffsky; this is a very celebrated institution, 
and is the seat of a Metropolitan. Its situation is at 
the remote part of the Perspective, and incloses in its 
pecincts churches, towns, gardens and cloisters ; it was 
founded by Peter, on the spot where the saint won a 
great battle, and here he lies interred. The church is 
very large, and its pillars are of tine marble; and, 
although it has many adornments, it looked to me 
almost as dirty as the monks who were swarming round. 
The shrine of the saint is in a small chapel, and is of 
normous value. The pyramid is said to weigh five 


MONASTERY—ENGLISH CHURCH, 


119 


thousand two hundred pounds of silver, and is fifteen 
feet high; a silver chandelier here is exceeding fine, 
hut the other silver work is in bad taste. The chant¬ 
ing by the monks was very solemn, and the conduct of 
the worshippers exceedingly devout. The Smolnoi 
Monastery I did not visit. The Sabbath day we passed 
in St. Petersburg, I attended morning service in the 
English church,—a very fine building,—the church will 
accommodate some four or five hundred persons. It 
is the best edifice I have seen as yet, on the continent, 
for Episcopal services. The clergyman in charge is the 
Rev. I)r. Law, who has been settled there about thirty 
years. The congregation was respectable, but not as 
large as in winter, owing to the absence of many of his 
parishioners in their suburban retreats. The sermon 
was truly excellent, but rather a controversial one. The 
text was “ The brightness of the Father’s glory.” The 
discourse was very much after the style of Bishop 
Horsley, and had much ingenuity in its argument. 
The deportment of the audience Avas very devotional. 
There is also a Scotch church in the city; but I was 
not aware of it till Monday, or I should have been pre¬ 
sent part of the day. In the afternoon, at five o’clock, 
I Avent to the Kesan cathedral. This is a building in 
the form of a Greek cross, the arms of which are equal; 
in the centre is a large dome, and at the ends four small 
pointed cupolas. The position of this cathedral is 
imposing; it is on the Neffsky Perspective, and stands 
finely back from the street. The great external feature 
is the colonnade, of vast Corinthian columns, forming 
a semi-circle, and the end of Avliich almost reaches to 
the houses on the street. Although the church, in its 
approach, disappointed me, yet I differ from those Avho 
censure this grand screen or colonnade. It strikes me 
as one of the sublimest pieces of architecture I am 
acquainted Avith. A Avalk under its lofty portico is no 
mean pleasure. In front of the cathedral are two fine 
statues of Kutuzoff and Barclay de Tolly. The inte- 



120 


KESAN CATHEDRAL. 


rior is certainly grand, but heavy. The pillars are 
fifty-eight in number, if I reckoned correctly. The 
holy-place'—the Ikonostast, where women never enter— 
has its beams, and what is usually wood-work, of solid 
silver. Every worshipper, I noticed, purchased a small 
taper of tallow or wax at the door; and then going up to 
the Lady-shrine, bowing his head to the pavement, and 
crossing his breast, he lights his candle from an ever¬ 
burning holy lamp before the Virgin, and kisses the 
pavement. His candle he places in a silver plate, where 
are many others burning, and he proceeds to say his 
prayers; and when he quits the sanctuary, it is with 
backward steps and repeated genuflections. In the 
Greek churches there are no images, but many pictures, 
and the Virgin is always adorned with gold and jewels. 
A diamond in the Virgin’s crown, in this church, is the 
next in size to that on the Emperor’s regalia. I forgot 
to say that the pillars, and balustrades, and picture- 
frames of the Ikonostast, are all solid silver,—the 
donation of the Cossacks to the holy mother of Kesan. 

At this shrine old Kutuzoff performed his solemn act 
of worship, before he took command of the army in 
1812. This church is adorned with military trophies 
in great plenty. I noticed some twenty Erench eagles, 
which were captured in Napoleon’s great mistake—his 
Russian campaign. I was interested with the worship, 
which was even more gorgeous and formal than the 
rites of the Romish church. The chanting was very 
fine, and exceedingly solemn and impressive, without 
any musical accompaniment. All classes of society 
appeared among the worshippers, nor was there any 
lack of men. I saw nothing like want of thought or 
reverence, and I understand that all the duties of reli¬ 
gion are urged upon the people by frequent visits at 
their own houses. The worship of the Virgin evidently 
prevails over that of her Son. 

In leaving this temple, I felt that it was not equal in 
solemn grandeur to many churches in Belgium and 


ISAAC CHURCH. 


121 

France. The next day, when I visited the Isaac 
church, now in process of erection, I had far different 
emotions, and felt that here indeed was a fane worthy 
of its end and purpose. No man can fail to be ini- 
pressed with this wonderful pile. The exquisite pro¬ 
portions of this church seem to diminish its apparent 
size. I have only to say that here are monoliths, of 
Finland marble, sixty feet high, forming perystiles of 
unsurpassed beauty; and in the interior are columns of 
malachite, fifty feet high, which adorn the altars. 
Malachite, lapis-lazuli, porphyry and gold, all seem to 
vie with each other for the preeminence in this glorious 
pile. Long years have been devoted to this sanctuary, 
and very many more must elapse before it will be com¬ 
pleted. The dome is grand, and the granite pillars 
around have a noble effect. I think the Isaac church 
will take its rank with St. Peter’s and Paul’s cathedral; 
but my own preference is to the Gothic style of archi¬ 
tecture for such vast buildings. The facade, windows 
and pediments, are in the hands of French artists. 
The angel at the Saviour’s tomb, and the female figures 
and affrighted soldiers, are represented in gilt bronze 
figures, eight feet high, on one of the pediments, and 
are beautiful beyond description. The frescos on the 
dome are still in progress. The cupola is copper, richly 
gilt, and is surmounted by a small one, a miniature 
edition of the first; and above all is the golden symbol 
of the Christian faith. The malachite used for the holv 
of holies was given to the Emperor by Count Demidoff, 
and its value is estimated at one million of rubles. St. 
Isaac happens to have his day in the calendar on the 
birth day of Peter the Great, and so gets the patronage 
of this temple. 





m 


CHAPTER IX, 


3XAJ0B THOMPSON SHOWN —DROSKY3 — WEDDING —■ GOSTINNOI DVOR— 
STREETS — MILITARY — FAREWELL TO ST. PETERSBURG—RETURN TO 
THE YACHT — VISITORS — REGATTA — CRONSTADT— ME. WILKINS — 
DANGEROUS POSITION — VISIT PROM GRAND DUCHESS OP OLDEN* 
BURGH AND FAMILY — STEAMBOAT PARTY AND IMPERIAL BAND — 
THE EMPEROR—QUEEN DOWAGER OP HOLLAND—NARROW ESCAPE. 

It gave me great pleasure to meet in St. Petersburg 
with Major Thompson Brown, Consulting Engineer to 
the Emperor. This accomplished gentleman and his 
excellent lady were my old friends and fellow-towns¬ 
people in Newport, and here I found them most happily 
situated. The position which this gentleman occupies 
is one of great responsibility, and brings him into fre¬ 
quent contact with the Emperor and the officers of state. 
Major Brown resides a few miles out of the city, in a 
delightful country villa. I was on my way to visit him, 
when horseflesh gave out, and I was reluctantly com¬ 
pelled to abandon the pleasure. I have been much 
amused with the drosky. This is the great carriage of 
the Russian everywhere. It has four wheels, and a 
long seat with a cushion ; this seat is quite low. It is 
usually drawn by two horses; it has no top, and 
accommodates two persons, who have their feet on 
different sides of the seat. One horse is in the shafts, 
which are very strong, and made fast to the collar by 
leather thongs, and joined by a bow, four feet high, 
called a dooga, arching over the neck of the horse ; at 
this point the traces start a foot back of the collar, 
rivetted to the shafts, and thence run to the axle out¬ 
side the hubs of the front wheels, A stylish turn-out 


DROSKYS—WEDDING. 


12$ 

is a drosky, with one horse, a trotter, in the shafts, and 
a horse alongside in traces, made fast to a stationary 
bar, one end of which projects a couple of feet outside 
of the front end of the drosky. The rig of this horse 
is independent ot the other, excepting his attachment, 
by an inside reign six feet long, to the saddle-girt of 
the shaft-horse. This rein enables him to travel at 
pleasure at an angle of about thirty degrees from the 
other, and is kept at that angle by a rein from the out¬ 
side of his bit running through a ring in his breeching 
to the hands of his driver, who holds the reins for the 
shaft-horse and one for this side animal; the particular 
department of which last one is to make a flourish, 
going on at a gallop, to which he has been trained, and 
swinging his head and neck, from the level of his body, 
towards the ground constantly. An extra flash estab¬ 
lishment is with two outside prancers, one on either 
side the shaft-horse. This enables a fast trotter to 
travel with a galloping horse without discomfort to 
either, and produces no irregular motion in the vehicle. 

The horses in the city are very fine, and some of the 
carriage-horses are quite large, and of excellent action. 
The harnesses are all light, if we except the collar, and 
many of them are richly adorned with polished plates 
of silver and brass. 

On the Sabbath, which we spent in St. Petersburg, 
we found a wedding-feast celebrated at our hotel; and, 
in going to our dining-room at supper-time, the waiter 
took us through the room where the festivities were 
going on. Excellent music and spirited dancing seemed 
to have put the party into high spirits. 

Our purchases took us into every part of the city, 
and, of course, we visited the far-famed Gostinnoi 
Dvor. This is an immense bazaar, where everything 
you can fancy or wish for is exposed for sale. It is a 
wonderful structure, extending through several streets, 
and reminded me of the great fairs which I remember 
in England in my early days, but which are now nearly 

M 2 




APPEARANCE OF THE CITY. 


in 

abolished. The various trades are here found keep¬ 
ing company in their proper classes. The proprietors 
of these booths and stalls are perfectly importunate, 
and not a queerer set of men have I often seen. They 
stand waiting at their doors, and are as ready to solicit 
custom as a Chatham-street son of Abraham. On 
many of these stores I noticed a paltry picture of some 
saint, and in front of it a little lamp, burning. Here 
we bought boots, slippers, shoes, cushions, mats; 
and some of the ladies made expensive investments in 
sables, ermines, and other furs. On the Saturday we 
saw a great many of these shops closed, and the doors 
fastened with a string, and red seal upon it. Mr. 
Evans informed us that the Jews considered this a 
more secure fastening than the strongest lock, to pro¬ 
tect their property. The engravings which we selected 
were very expensive, and were all of them executed in 
Paris, and when in that city I found it impossible to 
obtain them. In all parts of the city we found men 
vending tea and ice-water, quass, and other refresh¬ 
ments. We noticed, on three occasions, a large, sliut- 
up, dark-looking carriage, with no windows, and door 
locked, escorted by twelve or sixteen soldiers. These 
were prisoners on their way to justice, or about to go 
off to Siberia, the great Botany Bay of the empire. 
I w r as much pleased with the fruit-stalls and shops, and 
have rarely seen finer fruit. The apples w 7 ere the 
choicest specimens I could desire; but, having been 
brought from the southern provinces, and kept through 
the winter, were extravagantly high inprice. The egg- 
plums, apricots, grapes and melons, were all fine; 
but very costly, as we found out at a dessert ordered 
at our hotel. The bird bazaar is an extraordinary 
spot, and will well repay a visit. Here are linnets, 
goldfinches, bulfinches and nightingales, and many 
other birds with which I was unaquainted. 

The general appearance of what we have seen in St. 
Petersburg has pleased me exceedingly. Plere is a 


GOSTINNOI DVOR— FRUITS, ETC. 125 

capital that may vie with any in Europe for splendor 
and magnificence; and it evidently bears the impress 
of firmness, and promises to become second in gran¬ 
deur to no other metropolis. The streets present a gay 
appearance, painted white, yellow, and light-green. 
The spires, domes, and fa9ades of churches and palaces 
are seen thickly grouped, and the canals are wide and 
river-like, and sweep round with much beauty; and 
then the glorious Neva adorns the city far more than 
the Thames or Seine does London or Paris. The 
streets, too, are well planted with trees. I do not 
well understand where the poor reside, as there seem 
to be no lanes, courts or alleys; all is wide, spacious 
street. I imagine that they live in cellars, and burrow 
under shops and the mansions of the wealthy. The 
roofs of churches and the rest of the building often 
have little agreement, and styles of architectiu’e are 
strangely jumbled together,—Grecian feades, and 
Oriental, onion-sliaped domes and cupolas. The po¬ 
lice are dressed in the plainest garb, a drab long coat} 
one of this body is at every corner, armed with a 
desperate-looking axe. The military appear in the 
streets in considerable strength. The men seem to me 
rather like machines,—no force of expression. The 
most of them are en route for the south and the dis¬ 
puted provinces. The music of the bands was very 
good. The serfs, who are so numerous, come every 
spring from the country; each has to obtain a permit. 
In the autumn these men return with their small earn¬ 
ings. No small income accrues to the government 
from the payment on these permits to come and go. 
In all parts of the city I have seen vast Hocks of pi¬ 
geons. These birds are held in sacred estimation, 
because the dove is the scriptural emblem of the third 
person of the holy Trinity. 

I imagine that the population of this city is not far 
from six hundred and fifty thousand. I was informed 
by a medical gentleman, long resident in Russia, that 





126 VISITORS TO THE YACHT. 

the mortality is great, and is unfavorable in comparison 
with other capitals of Europe. 

We were all sorry when we had to bid adieu to this 
city of palaces, magnificent churches, and golden 
domes and spires. We cast one more look on that un¬ 
rivalled square, a glance at the equestrian bronze, 
another at the ever-present admiralty spire, and we 
Were on board the little steamer to take us to our noble 
ship. On getting on board the passage-boat, we met 
a goodly number of our friends to accompany us to 
Cronstadt; among them were Major Brown and his 
charming daughters, Mr. and Mrs. Evans, Mr. Bo- 
disco, a Russian officer, and nephew of the minister 
from Russia to our country, and where our valued 
young friend has passed many years of his boy¬ 
hood. We soon arrived at the yacht, and the day 
was spent most delightfully with our friends, to whom 
we had the happiness to receive an addition, in the 
company of Mr. and Mrs. Ropes, Mr. and Mrs. Prince, 
Mr. Endicot, of Boston, and several very agreeable and 
interesting English ladies, and also a number of French 
and Russian ladies and gentlemen, who came down in 
a charming little steamer, chartered for the occasion. 
Several of these little boats visited us during our an¬ 
chorage, and hundreds of persons inspected the yacht 
with evident pleasure. More than once we had two 
steamers at once alongside. Mr. James Thall, a gen¬ 
tleman of great literary acquirements, and a remark¬ 
ably good linguist, who had a country residence at 
Peterhoff, and paid members of our party polite at¬ 
tentions, came, with his family, in a fairy steamer. 
Amongst the numerous visitors at different times to the 
North Star, were Admiral Glassenoff, Prince Witgen- 
stein, and Admiral Richord, the ex-Governor of Kam- 
tschatka, an aged gentleman, of great good sense and 
tact. He examined everything carefully, and Mr, Yan- 
derbilt was very much pleased with his visit. He is 
in command of the navy at Cronstadt. 


REGATTA. 


127 


Whilst we were lying at anchor, we had the pleasure 
to witness the annual yacht regatta. The prize, I 
believe, was a silver cup, given by the Emperor. We 
saw the vessels return from the race of some seventy 
miles, and they all passed close to us. Some of them 
were very pretty schooners, and one noble one was 
evidently of English build, and had a happy-looking 
set of Englishmen on board. Mr. Baird’s boat took 
the prize, if I remember rightly. We had, in our nu¬ 
merous parties who came on board, several treats in 
the efforts of ladies and gentlemen on the noble piano 
which adorned our saloon. One of these gentlemen 
had the reputation of being the best pianist in the city. 

In our visit to Cronstadt, we had much polite and 
friendly kindness from Mr. Wilkins, the partner of the 
American vice-consul, Mr. Rowe. At Mr. Wilkins’ 
hospitable abode Captain Eldridge, his lady, and a few 
of us, partook of an elegant lunch, which we shall 
often think of with pleasure. Here we partook of a 
variety of Russian luxuries, which we had not met 
with in the hotels. Such sweetmeats I never tasted. 
They were of various kinds; and one made of berries, we 
thought superior to the strawberry. Cavairc and mush¬ 
rooms were on the table in perfection. At our request, 
we were treated to a taste of the national beverage, 
quass, and a very small taste sufficed; a more villanous 
compound I never tasted. The attentions of Mr. 
Wilkins and his family were constant. Our purchases 
in Crondstadt were chiefly Russian robes, Kesan soap, 
and shoes. 

In going on shore on this occasion, with the captain, 
we nearly met with an accident. We proposed to go 
through the Merchant Bock, and it is so crowded as 
to make it a difficult navigation. Our boat got jammed 
between two vessels in motion, and such a cracking as 
the ribs of our gig made proved the sense she felt of 
injury. Luckily, one of the vessels yawed off 3 or we 
should have been crushed most certainly* 






128 


.ROYAL VISITORS. 


YVe noticed a steamer alongside, with an evidently 
distinguished party of visitors,—one of the gentlemen 
in full dress, and wearing the broad ribbon of a field- 
marshal. As soon as the visitors came on the quarter¬ 
deck, they announced themselves, and we had the 
honor to welcome the Grand Duchess of Oldenburgh, 
the niece of the Czar, and her family of seven children, 
attended by their tutors and governesses. The gen¬ 
tleman in charge of them was Eield Marshal Toltog. 
As soon as the duchess came on board, she asked me 
if I knew her “ very dear friend, good Dr. Baird, of 
New York,” of whom she spoke in terms of the 
warmest friendship and respect; and also of other 
ministers, whom he had, she said, so kindly com¬ 
mended to her acquaintance. This lady speaks English 
fluently, and is, beyond all doubt, a decidedly Christian 
character. The party remained on board two or three 
hours, partook of refreshments, and were very much 
gratified. The daughter of the princess was a charm¬ 
ing girl of about fifteen, very intelligent, and simple 
in her manners. The duchess, at leaving, begged me, 
if ever I revisited St. Petersburg, to report myself at 
once at her palace. All the members of her suite were 
English, and appeared to be pious people. On the 
evening before we sailed, we saw a steamer approaching 
from St. Petersburg, with streamers flying, and a band 
of music playing. As soon as she came up, we found 
that Major Brown, his lady and daughters, Mr. and 
Mrs. Popes, and a numerous party of friends, had 
come down to take a farewell, and had brought with 
them the imperial band, the finest in Bussia. This 
was an unexpected gratification, for which we were 
indebted to Major Brown. Mrs. Brown and I had a 
long talk over our old friends in Newport, and her 
deep interest in them led to a very protracted chat, 
during which the party, under the fine awning of our 
spacious quarter-deck, had been busily engaged in 
waltzing to music which is rarely equalled. Befrcsh- 



STEAM-BOAT VISIT AT NIGHT. 129 

ineuts were brought to the company, and the band 
played Hail Columbia, God save the Queen, and The 
Emperor’s March; and then, amid a display of rockets 
and blue lights from the North Star, and nine hearty 
cheers from both boats, our kind friends “ all went 
home in the morning,”—for it was one o’clock when 
they cast off. The player on the clarionet had recently 
received a diamond ring from the Emperor, as an award 
of distinguished skill as a performer. 

Our great regret at leaving Bussia is not having 
seen the great, and, I believe, good man, the Emperor, 
who has done so mueh to elevate the condition of the 
masses in his extensive dominions, and to improve the 
entire country. I leave Bussia with exalted opinions 
of the wisdom and patriotism of the Emperor, and 
doubt not that, if his life be spared, Bussia will con¬ 
tinue to advance in all that makes a country great and 
powerful and happy. I have heard anecdotes in plenty 
respecting the Czar, and all of them reflect great honor 
upon the qualities of his head and heart; but I do not 
feel that I am at liberty to state them in this public 
manner, as they were related to me in the social circle, 
by men who are favorably situated to know their truth. 
Some of our party saw the Emperor at the church of 
the palace, at Peterhoff; but I spent that Sabbath in 
the city. Had w r e remained a day or two longer, we 
should have seen the Emperor on board; but his time 
arid thoughts had all been engrossed with the pressing 
affairs of the great vexed question between Bussia and 
Turkey. 

Our steam was now up, and just as we were weighing 
anchor a steamer hove in sight, adorned with flags and 
streamers; but she was too late; the North Star was 
under weigh, and close by us was an English steamer, 
bound to London, having on board the Dowager 
Queen of Holland, who has been making a short visit 
to her brother, the Czar. 

Just as we were leaving the guard-ship, we were 





130 


NARROW ESCAPE. 


all much excited by a cry that a small boat was run 
over by our wheels. We flocked to the guards, and 
then found that a boat, with two boys and a man, 
from one of the neighbouring ships, had got so close 
to our steamer that, in fright, one boy had jumped out 
of the boat, and was hanging on to the iron braces 
that support the guards. We stopped the yacht, and 
rescued the boy, who looked thoroughly scared; he 
was a fine-looking youth of sixteen, and hailed from 
Scotland. We were now off; and shall we ever again 
witness such sunsets, such evenings, such nights, as 
we have here enjoyed for the last few days P 


131 


CHAPTER X. 


VOYAGE—■COPENHAGEN'—THOHWALDSEN’S MUSEUM—ERUEKIRKE—THOR- 
WALDSEN’S CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES —THE SCULPTOR — ROSEN- 
BERGH PALACE — IT3 RICH COLLECTIONS OR ART—COINS AND 
MEDALS — PARK — STATUARY — COUNTRY—EXCHANGE—GALLERIES— 
AMALIENBORG- PLADS—SONG OF THE WATCHMAN. 

We left Russia, .Tune 29,—weatlier fine. The 30th, 
the wind was strong and ahead, and more sea on than 
we had yet experienced. In the Baltic, the ship pitched 
considerably. 

Eriday, July 1st,—calm,—we again went along 
quietly, and with only two boilers. At ten o’clock 
p.M., we passed Bornholm, a Danish island, eighty 
miles from Copenhagen, and at half-past hve in the 
morning were anchored off the city; and, after a hasty 
breakfast, went on shore in our own boats, determined 
to improve the day, as we were limited to five o’clock 
in the afternoon. 

Copenhagen, the capital of the kingdom of Denmark, 
is situated on the eastern coast of the island of Zea¬ 
land, at the southern extremity of a channel connecting 
the Cattegat with the Baltic,—this is called the 
Sound,—and partly on the north coast of the small 
island of Amager, or, as it is often called, Amak. 
The situation is favorable for commerce. The city is 
enclosed by ramparts, and is defended by several 
bastions and outworks, and, towards the sea, by a 
strong citadel; and powerful batteries command the 
entrance to the harbor. These forts are called the 
Three Crowns. The navy-yard is in front of the city, 
at the upper end of Amak, and appears to be in excel¬ 
lent condition, with immense store and ship-houses. 




132 


COPENHAGEN, ETC. 


Here are several fine ships-of-the-line and frigates. 
The port is formed by an arm of the sea, and is 
capable of accommodating five hundred ships besides 
the navy; and, by canals, the shipping can pass into 
the town. 


The aspect of Copenhagen from the sea is fine, and 
the palace spires and church steeples have a pretty 
effect. The climate is damp, and the bills of mortality 
are not favourable to its reputation for health. The 
cholera had just broken out here as we arrived, and 
its ravages were awful for the next six weeks, and 
gave a larger amount of deaths, in proportion to the 
population, than had before occurred in its history in 
Europe. 


The population is one hundred and thirty-four 
thousand, of which about two thousand five hundred 
are Jews. The streets are in poor condition. The 
shops, with a few exceptions, are poor; the women 
were gaily dressed, and I noticed many in red apparel, 
with very handsomely-worked caps. The government 
is, since 1848, a constitutional monarchy, and the 
religion is Lutheran, and toleration given to other 
creeds; but, strange as it seems, certificates of baptism, 
confirmation and vaccination, are necessary to appren¬ 
ticeship and marriage ! I never found so many persons 
before in a foreign country who spoke English. We 
secured a good guide in a man who had formerly served 
my valued friend, Governor Arnold, of Rhode Island, 
in the same capacity, when he made an extended visit 
to the North Cape. I called on our United States 
Charge d’Affaires, to whom I had letters of introduc¬ 
tion ; but he was absent from the city; and this, too, 
was unfortunately the case with Professor Rafn, the 
great northern antiquarian, to whom I had a letter 
from the Hon. J. R. Bartlett, the commissioner for the 
United States in the Mexican boundary affair. This 
was a severe disappointment, as I longed to see the 
great museum of northern antiquities, whic-h was closed, 



















THOR WALD SEN’S MUSEUM. 133 

but which I should have probably seen had this learned 
man been at home. 

Our first visit was paid to the Thorwaldsen Museum, 
which is a very spacious and striking building, behind 
the royal chapel. The style of architecture is Egyptian, 
and it is two hundred and thirty feet long, one hun¬ 
dred and twenty-five broad, forty-six high, and has two 
stoves. The exterior is decorated with Tuscan paint¬ 
ings in reference to the great artist. On the building- 
stands a chariot of victory, drawn by four horses ; this 
is executed in bronze. The interior apartments are 
painted in the Pompeiian style, in most glaring colors, 
and the work has been done by the ablest artists, as an 
affair of love. In the centre of the building is an open 
court, and here is the simple tomb of the immortal 
sculptor. The lower story of the museum is occupied 
with his works, and the upper one contains his collec¬ 
tions of art, and his fine painting. Among so many 
glorious productions of art, it would be difficult to make 
a selection for special praise; but the last group of the 
Graces, the Shepherd Boy, Ganymede and the Eagle, 
Cupid and Psyche, are my favorites. 

The bas-reliefs are very numerous, and attracted my 
eye as much as the statuary; and of these I prefer 
Alexander’s Entry into Babylon, Night and Day, and 
some of which I shall speak hereafter. Well may the 
city be proud of this matchless collection of one life¬ 
long labor. I should much enjoy a week or two in this 
place, if it were only to afford a careful study of these 
noble productions. 

Erom this museum we repaired to the Eruekirke, or 
Church of our Lady, which is the cathedral church of 
Copenhagen. It was completed in 1829, and is a tame 
building, with a Doric portico, and has no claim to 
notice beyond the fact that it is the depository of 
the master-works of Thorwaldsen. .Here is his Christ 
and the Apostles. The very first object that arrests 
your eye on entrance is the vast statue of the Redeemer, 

N 





134 


CHRIST AND IIIS APOSTLES. 


just at the rear of the altar.. Before the altar stands 
a fount of marble, which is a Concha in the hands of a 
kneeling angel. We were told that the first child that 
was christened here was one of Professor Bissen’s; 
Thorwaldsen stood sponsor, and the King and Queen 
were present. Around this beautiful angel is a needle- 
worked carpet, presented by Madame Bissen. The 
apostles stand on the sides of the church, on pedestals 
four or five feet high. They are the most wondrous 
creations of art, and in pure marble of Carara. They 
far transcend the idea which is obtained by one who 
looks merely at the casts. Judas was rejected by the 
sculptor, and Paul was substituted. The James is a 
charming figure, and so is Thomas ; and, indeed, so 1 
say of them all. These were all executed at Borne, 
where the artist spent a large portion of his life. We 
saw the favorite seat of the artist, when he attended 
this church; it was directly under the statute of James. 

In front of this church, on the pediment, there is a 
group, in terra cotta, of sixteen figures, made by Thor¬ 
waldsen; it represents John preaching in the wilderness. 
This is a work alone sufficient to give fame to a man. In 
the portico, is a bas-relief of Christ’s entrance into Jeru¬ 
salem ; and inside, one of Childhood’s Guardian Angel 
on the right hand, and on the left, Christian Charity. 
A bas-relief behind the altar represesents Christ on his 
way to Calvary; and in the confessionals are others of 
Baptism and the Last Supper. 

Thorwaldsen was a native of Copenhagen. He 
went to study at Borne in 1796, and was first brought 
into reputation by Mr. Thomas Hope, who engaged 
him on the far-famed Jason. In 1819, when he visited 
Denmark, he was honored by all classes in the kingdom, 
and his fame was regarded as part of the national glory, 
He attained a good old age, and died lamented by his 
King and fellow-subjects. A bust of Byron, by this 
sculptor, is the property of I)r. Geo. Hayward, of Bos¬ 
ton. This city is famous for its statuettes of Thor- 


PALACE OF ROSEMBEUGII. 


135 

waldsen’s great works ; but they are almost as expensive 
as they are beautiful. We obtained a few, as recollec¬ 
tions of the place and artist. Thorwaldsen’s portrait 
by Horace Yernet, his friend, bears a very strong re¬ 
semblance to the late venerable Eev. Dr. Pierce, of 
Brookline, Mass. 

We now proceeded to visit the Palace of Kosembergh. 
This is a Gothic structure, of brick, with stone cap¬ 
pings, having a large tower to the west, two smaller 
ones to the east, each of which has a spire, and then a 
small tower between the two last, without a spire ; and 
it is in this tower that the entrance to the palace is 
placed. Inigo Jones is said to have designed the 
building. This ancient residence of the Kings of Den¬ 
mark has always been a popular show-spot with travel¬ 
lers, on account of its being a sort of gallery for the 
illustration of national history. It dates its glories 
back to the days of its founder, Christian IV., who 
made it his constant abode, and filled it with works of art. 
The rooms in this palace are mostly small; some few 
are very spacious, and richly adorned. But it is all 
crowded with curiosities. Certain old ladies, who love 
old china, would go into ecstacies if they could see the 
antiquities of the celestial empire, Dresden and Sevre, 
in this particular department. Old cabinets, secreta¬ 
ries, tables, chairs, mirrors, are here in profusion; and 
they are of the costliest kind, and in grand preservation. 
I noticed silver handirons, that weighed at least a hun¬ 
dred-weight each ; silver candelabra ten feet high, with 
tw-enty-four branches; four silver lions, large as life, 
and well executed;—these are guardians of the throne- 
room. The drinking-horns of the old northern mag¬ 
nates were very curious, and indicated that they drank 
deeply into some things. Here, too, is the far-famed 
saddle, and caparison for a horse, presented by Chris¬ 
tian IV. to his son on his marriage, in 1664. This is 
literally covered with rubies, pearls, emeralds and dia¬ 
monds, and the ground-work is heavy Genoa velvet, 

N 2 



136 PALACE GROUNDS—EXCHANGE. 

and was made in Paris, and must have been an ex¬ 
pensive present. The throne-room is called the Kid- 
dersal, and the throne is massive silver. The tapestry 
of this room is very beautiful, and is descriptive ol 
Christian’s battles. 

The collections of coins and medals is regarded as 
one of the finest in Europe, and would amply repay a 
careful study. I have never met with so intelligent and 
competent a guide as the gentleman who shows this 
palace. The gardens around the palace are remarkably 
fine and park-like, and situated in the centre of the 
city. They justify the pride and warm attachment of 
the good citizens. The noble old trees, flourishing 
shrubs and flowers, with very wide walks, make this a 
most agreeable promenade; and we saw a large num¬ 
ber of children, under the eye of parents and nurses, 
enjoying the fine day, as we walked through the gar¬ 
den. In the centre, densely surrounded by venerable 
elms, oaks, &c., is a large circular basin, and in the 
middle of this is a bronze group,—a boy seated on a 
swan,—and from which issues a jet of water. In a 
pavilion, at the termination of a fine avenue, is a bronze 
group, of either Hercules or Samson, tearing open the 
jaws of a lion. This is a spirited work. There are 
also a few marble statues. I think these grounds must 
cover twenty or thirty acres. I very much regretted 
that we were unable to ride out to the far-famed beech 
woods; but we were forced to be contented with a 
charming ride through the Lange Linie, which is a 
noble promenade. We went a mile or two into the 
country to see some pretty villas, and were much 
pleased with the most extensive tea-garden building 
that I recollect ever to have seen. The country houses 
were very neat, and the out-premises and gardens kept 
in good order. 

The Exchange is a remarkable edifice, and was built 
by Christian IY. It is four hundred and six feet long, 
and sixty-six wide. It has a commanding entrance, 


137 


EOYAL GALLEUY OF PAINTINGS, ETC. 

witli marble pillars, and two statues, representing Nep- 
tune and Mercury. The building is one hundred and 
seventy-six feet high, and is celebrated for its spire, 
formed of four dragons, whose heads point north, 
south, east and west, and their bodies are twisted toge¬ 
ther till their tails come to a point at the summit of the 
spire. 

Few cities have finer museums, galleries of art, See., 
than Copenhagen. We were sadly unfortunate in not 
being able to gain access to the royal gallery of paint¬ 
ings, and the northern antiquities. The paintings in 
this gallery number nearly two thousand, and the col¬ 
lection is rich in the Flemish and Dutch schools. But 
here is Salvator Rosa’s noblest picture,—and this I did 
long to see,—“ Jonah preaching to the Ninevites.” The 
library, too, with its fine collection of prints, inferior 
only to the library of Paris, and, perhaps, Berlin, 
was also closed this day. In this library are very 
valuable MSS., both Icelandic and Oriental. 

Y\ r e were all much pleased with the Amalienborg 
Plads,—a fine octagon, formed by four palaces, of 
equal size and similar construction. In its centre is 
an equestrian statue of Frederic V. 

It was my happiness to meet in Copenhagen with a 
lady from New York, a near relative of Mrs. Choules ; 
and our thus meeting, so far away from home and 
family, was an agreeable incident. Our researches were 
now brought to a termination by a terrible storm of 
hail, thunder and lightning; and we afterwards found 
that, on the same day, the great hail-storm was expe¬ 
rienced in New York. 

Here we parted from our young friend Allen, who 
was to proceed from this city, by way of Kiel and Ham¬ 
burgh, to Leipsic, and resume his studies. We found 
a fine supply of strawberries in Copenhagen, and the 
people were afraid to use them owing to the exist¬ 
ence of cholera. 


138 


SONG or THE WATCHMAN. 


I think it may be well to insert here a literal trans 
laiion of the 

SONG or THE WATCHMAN *. 

EIGHT O’CLOCK. 

When day departs, and darkness reigns on earth, 

The scene reminds us of the gloomy grave ! 

Then let Thy light, O Lord ! before us shine. 

While to the silent tomb our steps we bend : 

And grant a blessed immortality ! 

nine o’clock. 

The day glides by, and sable Night appears. 

For Jesus’ sake, O God, our sins forgive ! 

Preserve the royal family ; 

And guard the people which this land contains 
From danger of the Enemy! 

ten o’clock. 

Master, maid and boy,—would you the hour know ? 

It is the time that you to rest should go. 

Trust in the Lord with faith, and careful be 
Of fire and light,—for Ten o’clock has struck! 

ELEVEN o’clock. 

Almighty God protects both great and small! 

His holy angels guard us like a wall! 

The Lord himself our city watches o’er. 

And keeps our bodies and our souls from harm. 

TWELVE O’CLOCK. 

At the hour of midnight was our Saviour born; 

Great blessing to a world which else were lost 1 
Then, with unfeigned lips, in prav r er and praise, 

Commend yourselves to God—Past Twelve o’clock! 

ONE O’CLOCK. 

O, Jesu Christ! we pray thee send us help 
To bear our cross with patience in the world, 

For Thou art God alone ! 

And Thou, 0 Comforter ! Thine hand stretch forth j 
Then will the burden light and easy be! 

The clock has stricken One ! 

two o’clock. 

O, gracious Lord! whose love for us was such 
That Thou shouldst deign in darkness f to be born; 

All glory’s due to Thee ! 

Come, Holy Ghost! and pour into our hearts 
Thy heavenly light, that we may see Thee now. 

And in eternity! 

THEEE O’CLOCK. 

Black Night departs, and Day begins to dawn. 

Keep them far off, O God, who wish us harm! 

The clock has stricken Three ! 

Father, thine aid we seek !—and of Thy grace 
Give us abundantly ! 

* This habit of announcing the hours is still kept up in this city, 
t Obscurity. 


SONG OF THE WATCHMAN. 


139 


TOUR O’CLOCK. 

Eternal God! who weuldst tlie keeper be 
Of us who dwell below,— 

To Thee, surrounded by the heavenly host, 

Honor and praise are due ! 

For this good night, give thanks unto the Lord! 
ltemember, “Four!”—we’re summoned from our guard. 

five o’clock. 

Jesu ! Thou Morning Star ! we now resign 
To thy protection, cheerfully, our king. 

Be thou his suu and shield ! 

And thou bright orb of day ! begin thy course, 

And, rising from the Mercy-seat of God, 

Thy radient lustre yield! 




140 


CHAPTER XI. 

OPT? FOR HAVRE — SCENERY OR THE SOUND — ISLE OF HUEN — TYCHO 
DKAHE— NORWAY AND SWEDEN — GODWIN SANDS LIGHT-SHIP — 
DOVER AND WALMER CASTLES — HAVRE — STEAMER FRANKLIN — 
MR. VESEY, U. S. CONSUL — THE TOWN — HISTORICAL INCIDENTS— 
INGOUVILLE—LEAVE FOR PARIS—ROUEN, POISSY, ETC. 

We now see the English steamer, with the Queen of 
Holland on board, — which left St. Petersburg in 
company with us,—just heaving in sight. Thus wc beat 
her twelve hours! 

At about six o’clock we got up steam, and were once 
more under way; and now we are heading for Havre. 
The heavy storm which lasted for an hour or more, had 
cleared the atmosphere, and we saw two most beauti¬ 
ful and clearly-defined rainbows spanning the sound 
from Copenhagen to the Swedish coast opposite ; and 
the width of the sound here is about twenty miles ; but 
the distance grows less very fast as we proceed to Elsi¬ 
nore. We all kept our eyes upon the retiring city, in 
which we had passed a very pleasant, and, I am sure, 
a very profitable day. The coasts on either side are 
lovely, and the Swedish is in many places quite bold. 
The village of Landscrona shows up from the shore. 
On the Danish coast the scenery is very attractive, and 
presents a pleasing variety of lawns, orchards, fanns, 
villas, and forests. On our sail we came close by the 
small island of linen* where the illustrious Tycho 
Brahe lived, and where he made his famous astrono¬ 
mical researches. It lies near to the coast of Sweden, 
and has a slight elevation, on which he built his obser¬ 
vatory, in which he was nobly assisted by the King of 
Denmark. 




TYCHO BRAHE—SCENERY—STORM. 


141 


Tycho Brahe was born 1546, and was educated in 
Copenhagen, and, after spending some years in Ger¬ 
many, he returned, in 1571; but again visited Ger¬ 
many in 1575. He was induced to settle in Denmark 
by the extreme liberality of Frederick II., and received 
this island as a gift; and on it he spent vast sums of 
money, in the erection of costly buildings. He out¬ 
lived his patron, and found less favor from his suc¬ 
cessor, Christian IV. He died, in 1601, in Prague, 
whither he had retired, by the invitation of the Em¬ 
peror Kudolph. Never could the noble fortress of 
Kronburgli Castle be seen to finer advantage than 
as we swept by it. The evening was very clear, and 
its bold towers were defined most accurately against 
the azure sky. The standard of Denmark was floating 
from its flag-staff, and the light-house, in one of the 
turrets of the castle, looked cheerful, as it was kindled 
up soon after we passed it. We watched the grand 
old fortress as long as it remained in sight, and spent 
a pleasant evening on deck. The Sunday, however, 
proved squally, and we had rather an unpleasant day, 
but observed our regular service in the saloon. In the 
morning we had some good views of the coast of Nor¬ 
way iind Sweden, as w r e passed the Cattegat, and 
rounded the Skaw, getting into the Skagerack. We 
saw several ships, apparently bound into Christian- 
sand. The sea was, however, lougher than we had 
yet had it on our voyage. At two p.m. the breeze 
had freshened up, and the waves were high. We were 
now off the lee-shore of the mouth of the Slieve, about 
six miles distant. From two to six we only made 
twelve or fifteen miles. At ten p.m. the gale abated, 
and the ship made good way through the night; but 
the fog was as dense as I ever saw. 

July 4.—The sea was yeasty, and the day very un¬ 
comfortable ; the smoking-room deserted, but only two 
persons decidedly sick. The arrangements for cele¬ 
brating the day fell through; and at dinner we talked 


142 AVAL ME 11 CASTLE—HAVRE. 

patriotically, and did as a great many of our friends at 
home were doing. 

July 5.—I have already spoken of the thick weather 
we met with; but it had* little effect in delaying the 
voyage, or hindering our exact course, and the abilities 
of our accomplished commander were only made the 
more apparent. I shall not soon forget the satisfaction 
with which he made the light-ship on the Godwin 
Sands, after the thickest fog, coming down directly 
upon her, according to his prediction. I have never 
felt such abiding confidence in any man’s judgment as 
in that of Captain Eldridge. All his movements are 
in exact unison with his statements made beforehand, 
and he exhibits that perfect acquaintedness with his 
profession which inspires confidence in the breast of 
every person around. 

The sea had gone down, but the wind was ahead. 
At one o’clock p.m., we passed close by the cliffs of 
Dover, and had a fine view of Walmer Castle, where 
England’s duke was conquered by the only enemy 
that ever vanquished him. The sight of Walmer 
brought to our remembrance those beautiful lines of 
Longfellow, called “ The Warden of the Cinque Ports.” 
I found in England the opinion was general, that 
Longfellow’s was the noblest tribute which the death 
of Wellington had called out, and this piece is thought 
quite equal to Campbell’s best pieces. W r e stood in, 
to have a near view of Dover and the fine coast ad¬ 
jacent. The town extends along uuder the stupendous 
cliffs. We had a fine afternoon to thread through the 
channel, and obtained pleasant glimpses of the English 
coast. W r e arrived off Havre at night, but lay to for 
morning light; and, besides, we could not enter the 
dock gates till nine o’clock. As we approached the 
gates in the morning, we found thousands of people 
gathered around to see the steamer Franklin depart 
on her homeward voyage. We instantly saluted her, 
which compliment she returned, and Captain Wotton 


CONSUL YESEY. 


143 


very politely stopped liis engine to receive our letters 
for home.* After giving her three hearty cheers, 
which were reciprocated by her passengers, she went 
on her voyage, and we entered the great port of the 
Seine; and a more beautiful sight is not often wit¬ 
nessed than the docks and banks thronged with citi¬ 
zens, who were having a double gratification; they 
came out to see an American steamer go away, and, 
unexpectedly, they found a still nobler one coming in 
to occupy her place. Out of the vast concourse I soon 
singled out my friend Mr. Vesey, the recently- 
appointed consul at Havre, and he was the first on 
board to greet our arrival. It would be a happy thing 
for the American tourist, if at every foreign port he 
could meet with such a representative of his country; 
but this is too much to expect. It is enough to say 
that a more thorough gentleman and warmer-hearted 
man than Mr. Vesey cannot be found; and his ap¬ 
pointment to this valuable and important post reflects 
honor on President Pierce’s administration; while the 
retention of Mr. Vesey a3 consul at Antwerp, despite 
his politics, was one of the many acts which adorned 
the official career of that pure patriot and enlightened 
statesman, Millaed Pillmoee. 

Mr. Vesey and our American fellow-citizens resident 
in Havre were much gratified at our arrival, and felt 
proud of their country when they saw this noble speci¬ 
men of naval architecture, and the property of a private 
American citizen, and could point to her owner as a 
merchant prince, who, by the force of character and en¬ 
terprise, had made his way from obscurity to a place 
beside the noblest and wealthiest of the old countries 
of Europe. We were gratified to notice a large num- 

* We all had our fears that we had missed the mail for New York, and 
were sad enough to see the steamer fairly under way; but Captain El- 
dridge told ns that he knew her captain was by all odds too noble a man 
to disappoint his countrymen, and assured us that we were all right. 
“ I know him,” said Eldridge. “ and, my word for it, Wotton will come 
to.” The prediction was verilied, and our Mends at home owed their 
letters to the kiudhettrtedness of the captfuht of the ErtvnhUa, 


144 


HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS. 


ber of noble ships bearing the starry banner of freedom. 
Several of their commanders soon came on board, and 
with them mv good friend Captain Wood, of the packet- 
ship Germania, and his excellent wife, and their little 
girl. The entrance to the docks is fine, and the ap¬ 
pearance of the old portion of the town, its vast amount 
of shipping, its venerable fort, and high hills off to th 
right, and covered with villas overhanging the town, is 
one not soon to be forgotten by a stranger who gazes 
at it. On our left was the charming Marine Hotel of 
Frescati, with its garden and bathing-ground directly 
in front. Havre is comparatively a modem city; it 
was established as a town by Francis I., in 1516, who 
built the ancient tower at the left bank of the port. 
The present population is about eighty thousand, and 
it is now in a career of rapid progress and improve¬ 
ment. The docks are large, finely built, and numerous. 
Hundreds of men are now at work on a dry dock of 
large dimensions. The importance of this place is at 
once seen by reference to the map of France, when its 
relations to Paris and Rouen, as a port of entry, will 
appear. The large number of Americans, resident and 
sea-faring, to be met in the streets, renders it a plea¬ 
sant spot to the wanderer from his own happy home in 
the far west- Havre is rich, too, in its historical asso¬ 
ciations. It was from this place that the Earl of Rich¬ 
mond sailed when he went to England to contest its 
crown with the hunchbacked Richard, in 1485. It 
was here, too, that the gallant Sir Sydney Smith, the 
hero of Acre, was captured by the gun-boats in 1796, 
when he had grounded on a sand-bank in an effort to 
cut out a French frigate. In Havre was borne the 
famous St. Pierre, who wrote the charming tale of Paul 
and Virginia. Havre has nine quays, and a vast num¬ 
ber of public fountains. The church of Notre Dame is 
not at all remarkable, but has a fine organ, which was 
the gift of Cardinal Richelieu. The Palais de Justice 
is ft plain edifice. The Ur&uline Convent is a large 


INGOUVILLE—AMERICAN RESIDENTS. 145 

building*, and the nuns are engaged in the education of 
young ladies; and very often English girls are placed 
here, under the preposterous idea that these ignorant 
women can enlighten them. What Protestant, with 
his eyes open, would trust his daughter to the care of 
women who believe that there is no salvation out of the 
Church of Rome, and, if honest, must therefore take 
every opportunity to make proselytes of the children 
under tlieir influence ? We took carriages to explore 
the town, and, after riding through its principal streets, 
many of which are very good, we ascended one, which, 
after an ascent of half a mile, through a road which 
presented the noblest stone walls we ever saw of simi¬ 
lar extent, we arrived at the Cote, where, on a vast ele¬ 
vation, are the exquisite residences of the wealthy. I 
think this part of the town is called Ingouville. Here 
are terraces, gardens and pleasure-grounds, laid out in 
the most tasteful manner. Homes of greater beauty are 
nowhere to be seen. I think it would be hard to meet 
with sweeter models for country residences; and as for 
the gardens, trees, shrubs and flowers, now all in gay¬ 
est garniture and brightest bloom, they are types of 
Eden. I visited an American lady, whose house is on 
this paradisiacal spot, and, as I gazed on her beauteous 
Yankee children and saw the elegant associations of her 
foreign home, I rejoiced at the comforts which alleviate 
her absence from early friends and the haunts of child¬ 
hood. Her husband met us at his gate, and we thought 
that, with such a home, such a family, and a prosperous 

business, Mr. C-e must be a happy man. I longed 

to visit Harfleur, once a Roman station, and long in the 
possession of the English ; but time forbade me. All 
around I could see that beauty invited me to become a 
wayside wanderer. I yearned to ramble over to Tan- 
carville, on the Seine, about twenty miles off, and where 
I know, from the accounts of early friends, there are 
charming ruins, and the most enchanting views. It 
was at Tancarville that the Meluns. the Ilarcourts, and 

o 





146 DEPARTURE FOR PARIS — POISSY. 

the Dunois, became the worthy successors of the 
Chamberlain.es, the fellow-warriors of William the 
Conqueror. 

It was a boyish, notion of mine 1 to walk through 
Normandy; and there are few things 1 would like 
better than to spend three or four months in such a 
pilgrimage, even now. These walking tours are, after 
all, the thing to make a man know a country, and re¬ 
member it for ever. Give me the treasures which it af¬ 
fords to memory, the play it gives to imagination, the 
illustrations it contributes to historical association, and 
I will let who may choose it travel by railroad speed 
through a land, and know nothing that is valuable, and 
see little that he can remember in future life. 

From Havre we started for Paris, and the route is 
upon the banks of the Seine. Of all railroad routes 
that I am acquainted with, I regard this as the most 
pleasant one I have ever travelled. I cannot conceive 
of more rural happiness and comfort than appears to be 
spread over the glorious fields of Normandy, and be¬ 
tween Havre and Rouen. The country is far more 
wooded than I had supposed, or had seen in other parts 
of France, in former travels. From Rouen to Paris we 
passed through many spots of interest. I must not 
omit to mention Poissy, where the infamous Charles 
IX., and his more infamous mother, Catherine de Me¬ 
dici, met in conference, in 1561, with the great divines 
of the Catholic and Protestant churches. This town is 
thirty miles from Paris. Certainly the country appears 
to be prosperous,—the farms are well cultivated, and 
the residences gave an idea of far more enjoyment and 
comfort than many of our party expected to see. 

Our entire party went to Paris, excepting Mr. Van¬ 
derbilt, who was indisposed, and preferred to remain for 
a quiet day on board the yacht. 


14 ? 


CHAPTER XII. 


HOTELS — HON. S. G. GOODRICH— AMEBICAN CLERGY IN EUROPE— 
BEVIEW—EEV. EOBEBT LOVETT AND HIS CHAPEL—CONFERENCE OP 
AMERICANS—METHODIST CHAPEL—LOUVEE—JARDIN DES PLANTES— 
PALAIS DE JUSTICE—FLOWER MARKET—HOTEL DE CLUNY—ENGLISH 
FRIENDS—VERSAILLES — GARDEN OP THE TUILLERIES AND CHAMPS 
ELYSEES—PONT NEUF AND OLD PARTS OF PARIS—HOTEL DE VILLE 
—CHURCHES—ROYAL LIBRARY—GOBELINS—ST. DENIS—NEUILLY— 
CHAPELLE ST. FERDINAND — CHAPELLE EYPIATOIRE — FONTAINE¬ 
BLEAU. 


On reaching Paris, we found the weather as hot as it 
generally is in any of our Atlantic cities in August. 
We were soon stationed in comfortable hotels—as the 
Hotel du llhin, in the Place Yen dome, and the Hotel 
d’Albion. I took up quarters at the Hotel Windsor, on 
the Rue Rivoli, where I put up in 1835, and afterwards 
in 1851. And, strange as it may appear, I have on 
every occasion had the same suit of rooms, so that I 
had here quite the home feeling. This is a capital 
bouse, and its lanlord all a traveller can wish. My 
first business was to call on our distinguished fellow- 
citizen, the Hon. S. G. Goodrich, late United States 
Cousul in Paris, and still discharging the duties of con¬ 
sulate till the arrival of his successor. Peter Parley is 
a man of whom his country ought to be proud; he has 
done more for the instruction of his young countrymen 
than any other living man. He lias been the author to 
whose pen eveiy section of our land has been indebted 
for the reading of its children and youth. A few years 
ago, the State of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans 
paid him public honors rarely ever equalled upon our 
continent; and when Mr. Goodrich was sent abroad as 

o 2 



148 


HON. S. G. GOODRICH. 


Consul at Paris, every one acknowledged the fitness of 
the homage done to talent, and genius, and high patri¬ 
otic spirit. On his arrival in the French metropolis, 
Mr. Goodrich found his countrvmen next door to being 
without any representation. Instead of shutting him¬ 
self up, and keeping his fellow-citizens at an unap¬ 
proachable distance, and aping an etiquette which a 
British plenipotentiary would hardly establish, he at 
once made his residence a pleasant resort for all his 
countrymen, and every Friday evening he had a soiree 
for his friends, where the New Englander, Pennsylva¬ 
nian, South Carolinian or Louisianian, was sure to meet 
with a hearty welcome, and where, for the evening, an 
American felt sure that he had one representing his 
country in Paris to whom he could look with pride and 
pleasure, and on whom he could rely for advice and 
assistance in any emergency. There, too, American 
ladies, when in Paris, met with friendly and serviceable 
attentions from Mrs. Goodrich and her accomplished 
daughters. Americans abroad felt the importance of 
having such a man retained at this post. Numerous 
signatures were attached to a representation of the 
earnest desire of men of all parties that Mr. Goodrich 
might be retained. His services in having greatly 
extended the business of the office, and his merits, 
were urged upon the attention of the powers that be ; 
but in vain. The operation of such a measure abroad 
is injurious. No other country displays such antics, 
and plays shuffle-board in this style. I have no doubt 
that Mr. Goodrich’s successor is a most worthy man, 
and he will be a fortunate and enviable one if, at the 
termination of his consular life in Paris, he shall possess 
one-half the reputation which Mr. Goodrich has ac¬ 
quired with all who have witnessed his labors and the 
spirit in which they have been discharged. 

At the time of our arrival in Paris there was a large 
delegation of American ladies and gentlemen in the 
city, and it was very pleasant to meet some intimate 


REVIEW—11EV. ROBERT LOVETT. HO 

friends. The Rev. Drs. Crocker, of Providence; 
Lamson, of Dedham ; Krebbs, of New York ; Yinton, 
of Boston; Bishop Mcllvaine, of Ohio, and Rev. 
Messrs. Kirk, Jameson, Cook ancfBidwell, where all here. 

A party was made up to visit Versailles, in the 
vicinity of which a great review was to take place. 
The excursion was exceedingly agreeable, and the 
pleasure of the day was enhanced by the company of 
my valued friend and former pupil, Kobcrt Schell, Esq., 
his lady and her sister. The Emperor was not present, 
as expected, but a large body of soldiers was under 
arms, and the Minister of War, with other generals, 
conducted the operations of the day. A sham light 
followed. The ladies were very much interested in 
the various manoeuvres of the skirmishing parties. A 
very large company of spectators was on the ground. 
Departing from this gay and one-sided view of war, 
we betook ourselves to an excellent cafe, and enjoyed 
our dinner; after which, the party had a delightful 
stroll through the palace grounds and gardens, and 
then, resuming the carriages, returned to Paris, having 
passed an exceedingly pleasant day. The examination 
of the palace was deferred for another day. It was 
with great pleasure that I met my friend, Mr. Henry 
T. Parker, of Boston, with whom I had been in 
Europe in 1851. A pleasant day spent Avith him in 
the Palais Royal, I shall not soon forget. On the 
Sabbath day I attended divine service at the Episcopal 
church, in the Marbceuf chapel, the Minister of which 
is the Rev. Robert Lovett, chaplain to the Right 
Honorable the Earl of Rosse. This gentleman has 
occupied this important post about twenty-five years. 
The congregation was large and very respectable; 
every seat Avas occupied, and 1 think the audience 
Avas betAveen five and six hundred. The service Avas 
read in a very impressive manner. I do not recollect 
that I ever heard it better read,—the prayers Avere 
prayed, not said. The text was Psalm 93 : 5,—“Thy 




150 COKFEttENCE OF AMERICANS—-LOtiVRE. 

testimonies are very sure ; holiness beccmeth thy 
house, 0 Lord, for ever.” The sermon was delivered 
without notes,—it was simple, earnest, evangelical, 
and adapted to usefulness. We were very much gra¬ 
tified, and, if we were to remain in Paris, I think I 
should seek no further for a Sabbath sitting. After 
service, I had a pleasant interview with Mr. Lovett, 
in the vestry; he told me that on the last Lord’s day 
Bishop Mcllvaine had preached a most excellent ser¬ 
mon in his pulpit. I would strongly recommend tra¬ 
vellers, when in Paris, to attend the ministry of this 
“ good minister of Jesus Christ.” 

In the afternoon I met a number of American 
ministers and friends at the residence of Mrs. Deming, 
to consult upon the advisableness of the establishment 
of an American chapel in Paris. I have no doubt that 
this is a desirable measure; and, if a place of worship 
could be procured, and a suitable minister placed in it, 
I think the advantages which would result from the 
institution would be numerous and certain. A large 
number of young business men are always in Paris, 
and a minister, with a home, would be of incalculable 
service to the hundreds of Americans who sojourn in 
this great city. In the evening I officiated at the 
English Methodist chapel, in the Eue Boyale, very 
near the Church of the Madeleine. The congregation 
was as large as the chapel would hold, but it is quite 
a small one. 

We devoted a day to the Louvre, which is now in 
fine condition, having undergone entire reparation; 
the gildings are fresh, and the frescoed ceilings are 
looking as if they were just executed. 

The great picture of Murillo’s, which was purchased 
from Marshal Soult’s estate, and cost more than one 
hundred and twenty thousand dollars, is now in this 
gallery; it is a wondrous production, and it is difficult 
to believe that it is not a new picture, the colors are 
so very brilliant. The subject is the Assumption of 


JARDlN DE9 PLANTS. 151 

the Virgin. Here are some glorious pictures, but I 
miss many that charmed me long years ago. I am 
always pleased with the pictures of Philippe de Cliamp- 
paigne; his portraits have an individuality about them, 
and I feel that they must have been likenesses. Two 
of his portraits of old Trench royalty were once in 
New York, and I remember them offered somewhere 
for sale, and wondered that they were not taken up. 
If I am not mistaken, they were at the Clinton House 
when it was kept by its fine old host, Mr. Hodges. 
The chefs-cCceuvre of this great collection have been so 
often engraved, that the enumeration of the sources of 
pleasure connected with the originials seems unneces¬ 
sary. The apartments devoted to sculpture are im¬ 
mense, and the arrangement was made chiefly by 
Henon. In them are about fifteen hundred statues, 
busts, bas-reliefs, altars, brackets, candelabras, sarco¬ 
phagi, &c. I was pleased with some exquisite gates of 
steel, finely carved, belonging to the days of Henry II. 
In the Musee Grecque et Egyptien are vast treasures 
of mosaic, chalices, porcelain; and here, or in some 
other part of the building, I was charmed with a bas*- 
relief, the production of Benvenuto Cellini, executed 
for Erancis I. In this part of the Louvre are about 
thirty saloons, into many of which strangers rarely 
enter. 

Our friend Hr. Linsly was exceedingly laborious 
during our stay in Paris. Every morning he was up at 
five and off to the hospitals, where, through the court¬ 
esy of the professors and surgeons, he was taken 
through the daily walks, and had a fine opportunity to 
see the treatment of hundreds of patients by the re¬ 
nowned physicians and great surgeons of this cele¬ 
brated medical school. We had a very delightful oc¬ 
casion on one day here, when Hr Linsly and I had the 
pleasure to have Mr. Goodrich and his family as our 
guests, and we sat down quite a large party. Our 
visit to the Jardin des Plantes was on a fine day, and 




152 


PALAIS EE JUSTICE. 


tliis noble institution appeared, I thought, more at¬ 
tractive than I had ever beheld it. We went to it by 
crossing the tine iron Bridge of Austerlitz,—it has 
five arches. The garden was established in 1635, 
by Louis XIII., and the talents of the greatest natural¬ 
ists of Europe have been placed under contribution to 
make it what it is,—the most famous garden on the 
continent. It has been the scene of labor for Ilerouard, 
I)e la Brosse, Tournefort, Vaillant Jussieu and his 
son, Button, and more recently the illustrious Cuvier 
has devoted to it his great talents. When revolution¬ 
ary barbarism devastated the city, this spot fortunately 
escaped destruction, and Bonaparte took it into his 
special favor. The care of this garden and its valuable 
adjuncts is in the charge of the Minister of the Interior. 

The Botanical Carden, its noble conservatories, mu¬ 
seum of natural history, anatomical gallery, labora¬ 
tories, lecture-rooms and menagerie of animals, birds, 
&c., constitute a combination of advantages for study 
that no other capital in the world presents to the en¬ 
thusiast in natural science. The menagerie was brought 
here from Versailles, by Louis XVI. The palm-trees 
are in fine condition, and date back to the days of 
Louis XIV.; and the tropical plants are in conserva¬ 
tories, kept warm by steam pipes. I was glad to see 
again the glorious cedar of Lebanon planted in 1734. 
One gallery, that of natural history, is more than four 
hundred feet long; and in the cabinet of comparative 
anatomy are more than fifteen thousand specimens, all 
arranged by Baron Cuvier. Haydon was quite right 
when he said that the Jardin des Plantes was “ a place 
of Homan magnificence.” On our return we saw the 
Halle aux Vins, or great wine-depot; here are about 
five hundred and fifty thousand casks of wine, and two 
thousand casks frequently come in during a single day. 
This is the custom-house for wine, and the excise 
duties on wine are here paid on the sale of the article. 

Our visit to the Palais de J ustice was very interest- 


PLOWEli MARKET. 


153 


ing. This building is as old as Notre Dame, and was 
formerly the royal residence; indeed as late as the days 
of Francis I. The present front was built in 1760. 
Here is a vast gallery of more than two hundred feet 
by about eighty, in which the clients may perambulate 
whilst their cases are going on in court; and here is a 
monument to the courageous Malesherbes, the advocate 
of Louis XYI. The courts of law are venerable halls, 
but too small for the demands of the city. The Con- 
eiergerie was the prison used for state purposes when 
the Palais was a royal mansion. It was from this place 
Lavalette escaped, aided by his heroic wife and Sir 
Kir Kobert Wilson. Here Marie Antoinette was con- 
lined ; but the cell, which was made by Louis XVIII. 
into an expiatory chapel, was destroyed in the revolu¬ 
tion of 1830. Sad scenes of blood and murder were 
witnessed here in 1792. We were greatly interested 
here with the Sainte Chapelle, altogether the finest 
Gothic relic in Paris. It was built 1245, as a sanctum 
to receive the true cross and crown of thorns, purchased 
from the Greek Emperor by St. Louis. The condition 
of this chapel is wonderful, considering its great anti¬ 
quity. The glass windows are perfect treasures of art, 
and look as if just executed. The chapel is unique, 
and is, I think, one of the greatest curiosities in Paris. 
It is at present receiving a perfect renovation, and will 
be the noblest architectural bijou in Europe. Boileau, 
the great satirist, was buried here. Close by, is the 
Quai Defraix, where the great flower-market is held, 
and to which we paid frequent and charming visits. 
It is a pleasant thing to see the almost universal pas¬ 
sion which exists for flowers. Go through the nar¬ 
rowest streets of Paris, and at the windows of the 
poorest houses, and up four and five stories, you shall 
see pots of green things, and gay, blooming flowers. 
I like to watch the faces of the country people who 
bring in the flowers,—and they are here by hundreds ; 
they seem to be alive to the beauties of nature; they 





154 


HOTJSL 3)E cluny. 


look as thougii they had gained some refinement from 
their gazing on these faint reflections of uncreated 
excellence and beauty. And then I was delighted to 
see the feeling of content and pride with which a man 
in blouse, or a hard-working woman, or a poor little 
child, would carry off a pot of some verdant thing, to 
make home look a little more bright and cheerful. 
These flower-markets are pretty things, and they are 
good things, too. Bad people do not love God’s 
handiworks, and seldom do they care for plants and 
flowers. I wish that parents would cultivate the taste 
for beauty and the love of nature in their children. A 
good flower and a fine plant are far better presents for 
a child than a noisy drum, a cruel sword, and a minia¬ 
ture gun. Passive impressions lead to active habits, 
and many a fond but foolish mother has contibuted her 
aid to make her darling boy food for bullets. 

X managed to have a long day and a pleasant party 
at my old favorite haunt, the Hotel de Cluny, in the 
flue des Mathurins. This is a rare spot, and one that 
I never feel wearied in visiting. It was the town resi¬ 
dence of the influential Abbots of Cluny, a Benedic¬ 
tine monastery at Cluny, and, before the revolution, it 
had six hundred houses in connection with it, and an 
income of three hundred thousand francs. It was built 
in 1480, on the ruins of the ltoman Palais de Thermes, 
where Julian made it his palace in 360. Here many a 
Pope has had a home when visiting Prance, and here 
did the Abbess of Port Boyal and her nuns find a 
resting-place from 1579 to 1584. In this glorious old 
spot lived Mary, daughter of Henry All. of England, 
and widow of Louis XII. of Prance ; and, while living 
here, she was privately married to the Duke of Suffolk, 
and it was from this event that the claim of poor Lady 
J ane Grey was laid to the crown of England. Between 
forty and fifty years ago, M. Du Somerard, a gentleman 
of great antiquarian taste, purchased the place, and ex¬ 
pended a vast property in collecting works of art of the 


NEW FRIENDS. 


155 


mediaeval age, the whole being classified according to 
chronological order. At his death, which occurred a 
few years ago, the French government wisely deter¬ 
mined to purchase the hotel and its unique collection, 
and large additions have been made to it of every curio¬ 
sity that can serve to illustrate the early history of the 
country. The first appearance of this edifice, on enter¬ 
ing the court-yard, is very striking. It has several 
Gothic turrets and rich windows. No one can walk 
through this building without being satisfied that the 
Abbots of Cluny and their brethren must have had 
good times when they came up to court. Boom after 
room was fdled with bas-reliefs, sculpture, carvings and 
casts. The furniture of the 14th, 15th and ICtli cen¬ 
turies, is in great profusion, and the tapestry is very 
beautiful and perfect. Perhaps there are no cabinets 
and presses to be seen in Europe that are more exqui¬ 
site than those in this museum. We went from one 
saloon to another in the upper story, and revelled in 
the examination of the richest old curiosity-shop in the 
world. The catalogue contains nearly two thousand 
items, and weeks of study might be spent to great pro¬ 
fit in this wonderful place. I would not forget to say 
that the handiwork of Bernard de Palissv is here in 
great plenty, and some of the superb designs of Bene- 
venuto Cellini. Cups, goblets and drinking-horns, of 
all the great men of French history, gems, enamels 
and armor, abound, and porcelian of every variety and 
age. A small chapel, whose ceiling is sustained by a 
single shaft, is very interesting, and the carving in this 
sanctuary describes several sacred subjects. Just as 
wc were going into this charming place, I met with a 
venerable English lady and her female companion, and, 
on offering her my arm to aid her ascent of some steep 
steps, we entered into conversation. I found her an 
exceedingly interesting woman, of fine taste, and pos¬ 
sessing much valuable information. We went through 
the entire collection in company, and, at parting, she 




156 


VERSAILLES—SCULPTURE. 


gave us a kind and pressing invitation to visit her at 
her mansion near Plymouth, in Devonshire. We were 
fortunate in meeting with very pleasant people at our 
hotel, and we shall always look back with interest on 
an acquaintance which we formed here with Captain 
Masters, of the royal navy, and his son and daughter. 
This gentleman resides at East Byde, on the Isle of 
Wight. His son was a Cambridge man, and was 
spending the vacation in travel. In their company was 
an excellent clergyman of the English church, the Eev. 
Mr, Swainson. With these friends we arranged for a 
visit to Versailles. On this occasion, we took the rail¬ 
road, and on the way took in a large school of noble¬ 
looking boys in uniform, attended by a bevy of tutors— 
priests, in clerical costume. They were bound to the 
grand reviews. 

Versailles has been so often described that I need 
only say that, though I have been through its splendor 
again and again, I found it full of interest. The palace 
is now used as a grand receptacle of the objects which 
minister to national pride. Louis Philippe turned his 
attention to this palace, and gathered together in these 
gorgeous saloons all the pictorial history of Prance. 
Verily, this is the place to study the history of this 
great country; and, when I look at the magnificent 
portraiture of the personal career of the great Emperor, 
I cannot, for a moment, doubt that Louis Philippe did 
more than any other person to create that wave of po¬ 
pular feeling which carried the present Napoleon into 
his imperial throne. I do not think that any other 
nation has such an illustration of its ancient and 
modern history as this. 

The works of sculpture which pleased us best were 
a Joan of Arc, sculptured by a deceased daughter of 
Louis Philippe, and bearing her cypher; Cardinal de 
Betz; Chancellor L’llospital; Sully ; the late Duke 
of Orleans, by Pradier, of Geneva; Cardinal Mazarin 
and Colbert, by Coyzeyox ; Moliere, by Houdon, the 


SALOONS OF PAINTINGS. 157 

sculptor who made the noble statue of Washington at 
Richmond ; Rendon and General Washington, by Hou- 
don; Napoleon and Ney, by the same; Marshal Da- 
voust, by Bosio ; Bossuet, Coligny. 

In the saloons of paintings, we were much gratified 
with those descriptive of the Crusades, the battle of St. 
Jacques, by Johannot,—this is a noble piece; the In¬ 
terview of the Camp of the Drap d’Or, by the younger 
Debay ; the Battle of Ivry, by Steuben; the Instituting 
of the French Academy, in 1034,—a most spirited 
picture, with capital drawing, by H. Lecompte. The 
passage of the Rhine, 1072, has employed several 
artists ; I prefer the one painted by P. Franque. Na¬ 
poleon receiving the Senatus Consulte, at St. Cloud, 
on his proclamation as Emperor, 1804, by Rouget, is 
good. A picture that I cannot forget was Napoleon 
receiving at the Louvre, after his coronation, the depu¬ 
tation of the armv\ The Proclamation of the Lieu- 

«/ 

tenant General, read at the Hotel de Ville, 1830, and 
a Celebration of Mass by the Pope and Cardinals, are 
full of interest. 

But why should I particularise ? for here are more 
than two thousand, and of these probably five hundred 
have great merit. The recent paintings, by Horace 
Vernet, illustrative of the battles in Algeirs, are vast 
as to size, and deeply interesting in their details of 
African scenery, and exhibit wonderful brilliancy of 
coloring. Our visit, also, to the great and little 
Trianon, was very agreeable; and we were delighted 
with these charming little palaces, where, I have no 
doubt, more comfort has been experienced by their 
royal owners than in the gorgeous chateaux close by. 
Monarchs are but men, and, like other people, they 
feel more real pleasure in homes of comfort than in 
magnificent and spacious solitudes. Bonaparte loved a 
small house, and once wrote to his brother at Paris 
to get him one ready on his arrival from Egypt; 
Geovge IV. had his snuggery close by the glorious 






158 


GARDENS OF TIIE TUILLERIES. 


old castle at Windsor, and Queen Victoria spends lier 
happiest hours at Osborne House, which is a modest 
mansion, not equal to many gentlemens’ family houses. 

The garden at the great Trianon pleased me, perhaps, 
as much as anything of its size that 1 ever saw, and, 
in my opinion, is far more beautiful than the gardens 
of the great palace close by. The little Trianon we all 
felt interested in, because it was the favorite retreat of 
Marie Antoinette. 

After dining at a cafe, we took the rail on the other 
side of the Seine, and, riding up the river, had a good 
view of St. Cloud, and passed through Sevres. 

The walks which I had in the gardens of the Tuil- 
leries and in the Champs Elysees are all, I think, 
become parts of myself, and will be for ever with me. 
The exquisite order in which every thing is kept de¬ 
lighted me; and then the perfect behaviour of the 
thousands who resort to these promenades ! It was 
just the right season to enjoy these spots; the noble 
orange-trees were still many of them in fragrant blos¬ 
som, and the marble statues beside them afforded a 
fine contrast. It is the fashion to criticise the Tuil- 
leries; but I must always admire the fine long line of 
elegant old buildings. 

As to the Champs Elysees, it is a place to think in 
and to think of, but cannot be described. I can forgive 
a Parisian for his pride; he has whereof to glory, 
indeed, as he carries his children into the Avoody Avalks 
of this pleasure-ground of the people. I can turn from 
the thronged street and be instantly among the finest 
fiowers, the noblest walks, the gayest company and the 
prettiest children; for, although I do not think the 
women generally handsome, yet the children are very 
beautiful. 0, these fountains! how refreshing is the 
spray they cast off so freely ! I cannot express myself 
in reference to this locality more happily than by 
quoting a description given of it by Mr. James A. 
liobinson, who Avas one of my young travelling com- 


GARDENS OF THE TUILLERIES. 159 

panions in 1851. He said, writing to a friend: 
“ Turn round, and look at tlie gardens we have left. 
There, see the long, Ioav Tuilleries, the palace of the 
Bourbons, the home of Napoleon, the residence of the 
Citizen King, and now the Palace National. Oil to 
the right is the Seine, and its long line of quays; here 
is the bridge, and just across it is the chamber of the 
Assembly, with twelve Corinthian columns. To our 
left, is a long, stately range of buildings, known as the 
.Rue Rivoli, in which we reside; it has an arched 
arcade in front for foot-passengers, and some hundreds 
of columns to support and adorn it. At this end are 
public offices. Now turn, and look at our right; and 
see, a street cuts through this noble row, and, at its 
end, you behold the pride of the city,—the Madeleine. 
There it is, all white, and its stately columns tell of 
Greece. Now gaze upon the open space of the Champs 
Elvsees, and look down through that splendid avenue, 
and there see the tinest thing in Prance,—Bonaparte's 
triumphal arch.” 

I have never visited Paris without having my admi¬ 
ration of the Pont Neuf increased. It is my favorite 
stand-point. The bridge is of stone, and not marked 
by any architectural beauty; but from it you obtain 
the best view of the olden portion of the city, and 
here is the finest one of its venerable streets, quays 
and ancient houses, that I know of. The buildings 
are very old,—six, seven, and some eight stories high. 
The lie de la Cite makes two streams of the river, 
and off behind all stands Notre Dame. I have spent 
hours here, looking at the prospect in early morning 
light, and in the glowing colours of the setting sun: 
and I have wandered off to this bridge many a night 
to watch the effect of the moon upon these relics of 
other ages. A favorite walk with me is to the Hotel 
de Ville, a grand old edifice of the sixteenth century. 
It was on the Place de Greve, in front of it, that the 
bloody scenes of the revolution were enacted, and here 

p 2 




160 HOTEL DE VILLE— CHURCHES. 

stood the guillotine. Perhaps the best view of this 
municipal palace is had from the quay on the other 
side the Seine. It was here that many of the most 
exciting scenes of the first revolution transpired, and 
the very room in which Robespierre held his council is 
shown, and the table on which he was placed when his 
jaw was fractured by the pistol-ball. A ery near to this 
is the old church of St. Germain l’Auxerrois, said to 
have been founded by Robert, in 998. The part which 
remains dates from the 18th century, and the front is 
the great western doorway. Prom this church the bell 
sounded out which summonded the Catholics to the 
infernal butchery of the Protestants, on Bartholomew’s 
day, 1572,—a work of piety which the Pope, Gregory 
XIII., approved, and in honor of which he commanded 
a medal to be struck. This medal is scarce; but I 
have seen it, and the following is the inscription, which 
I copied:—Around the head : 

GUEGORIV3 XIII. PONT. MAX. AN. II. 

On the reverse: 

VGONOTTOEVM. 3TRAGES 1572. 

This medal is in the British Museum, among the 
Papal medals. The silver medal w r as cast in the first 
year of his Papacy, and the copper one in the second. 

AVe visited a number of churches, and were much 
gratified with St. Germain des Pres, St. Sulpice and 
the Pantheon,—which last the piety of Napoleon III. 
has again put into the hands of the priests. It is now 
dedicated to St. Genevieve. Certainly, this is a most 
charming specimen of the Grecian style. This church 
is three hundred and two feet long, by two hundred 
and fifty-five in width. In the crypt are the tombs of 
renowned men. The dome is lofty, and is finely 
painted, by Gros. The work is principally illlustrative 
of Prench history, and it is supposed that some sacred 
subject will soon take the place now devoted to kings 
and queens. The portico of this church is exceedingly 


ST. SULPICE—ItOYAL LIBItAllY. 



impressive, the Corinthian pillars of which ate sixty 
feet high, and five feet in diameter. 

The portico of St. Sulpice is truly majestic; it has a 
double row of columns. I am always gratified ill look¬ 
ing at the west front of this fine sanctuary. No tra¬ 
veller should fail to go into this church to see, ill a 
deep recess beyond the altar, an extraordinary sculpture 
of the Virgin and her Son, in marble. They appear 
With the globe at their feet/ and immediately under 
their feet is a bruised serpent. Yery wonderful is ttie 
effect of a concealed light, falling upon this beautiful 
work of art. 

A wet day was selected for a visit to the Itoyal 
Library. It is in a central situation, and the entrance 
is from the Hue Kiehelieu; the building occupies a 
square, and extends to other streets. Yeiy dark and 
unpromising are its walls; and, when I first visited 
Paris, I passed it in full faith that it was a prison. I 
was desirous to see the bust of its late librarian, the 
renowned bibliopolist, Yan Praet. There it stands, in 
a spot where he passed his useful and agreeable life. 
A greater enthusiast never lived. The cabinet of 
medals is, in many respects, unique, and has been the 
care of the monarchs of Prance since the days of 
Francis I. Yery few persons obtain access to the 
ground-floor of this collection, in which are the vases, 
gems, cameos, and precious works of art. The Vase of 
Ptolemy cannot be forgotten by any one who has 1 seen 
it. I can only say that the wondrous library is all 
open to the students’ use. I shall not attempt a de¬ 
scription of its tomes; but here are first editioiis, 
vellum copies, rare Poccacios, unaccountable Dantes, 
impossible to be found ; Yirgils, and not-to-be-under- 
stood first editions of Plomer, as poor Haydon, in his 
charming autobiography, said of Lord Spencer’s library. 
On this visit, I was most attracted by the large col¬ 
lection of prints, which comprises all the successive 
periods of art. The accommodations for these match- 




162 GOBELINS—CHURCH, OP ST. DENIS. 

less engravings are far too contracted. I found that 
there were more than eleven thousand bound volumes oi 
prints. The library of MSS, is yery rich, and I should 
enjoy a week spent in rummaging these old cabinets 
and presses, where are missals bound and illustrated 
as the piety of other ages deemed fitting for books of 
devotion. On a former visit 1 saw many of the rare 
and early editions. Only a bookworm can understand 
the gratifications of hours and days passed in this quiet 
retreat,* There are some twenty or thirty other libraries 
of great interest in Paris ; and in no city in the world 
can a literary man obtain all the information that he 
needs with so much ease as in this capital. 

Our visit to the Gobelins was a source of much plea¬ 
sure. I am happy to say that this interesting manu¬ 
factory is now receiving the patronage of the govern¬ 
ment, as it did under Napoleon and Louis Philippe. 
We found a large number of workmen employed upon 
tapestry and carpets. There are about one hundred 
magnificent specimens! of these curiously fabricated pic¬ 
tures hanging on the walls of spacious apartments, and 
we were courteously shown the tapestries in course of 
execution. I am not mechanic enough to attempt a 
description of the process which is employed. A son 
of the Emerald Isle, who was watching the operation 
of making a grand picture from a Raphael, brought 
here from the Louvre to be copied, was standing near 
us, and broke out, “ Holy Father, Jiinmini! what a 
thing man is!” in'th kjoki 

A very beautiful day invited us. to go out. of the city, 
and we took carriages for the. abbey church of St. Denis, 
which is about four or five miles from Paris. This 
church has been the great burial-place of the monarchs 
of France, from the days of Dagobert, in 580. Louis 
Philippe laid out vast sums of money in restoring this 
church, which suffered sadly in the first revolution.. It 
is a truly noble structure; and we entered the porch 
with a feeling of interest, from the recollection that in 


ttEUILLY. 


163 


this porch Henry IY. made his abjuration of the Pro¬ 
testant cause. The west front it very fine ; it has two 
towers, and over the great gateway is a bas-relief of 
the Judgment. This temple is one of the most im¬ 
pressive that I have seen. On every hand are monu¬ 
ments of great merit, and some exceedingly curious. 
Directly behind the altar, floats the oriflamme, or na¬ 
tional standard. The restoration appears to be in ex¬ 
cellent taste, and the windows are among the best we 
have seen. We descended into the crypt, and here we 
found, in exact chronological order, the remains of the 
kings from Clovis down, or, rather, their monuments; 
for the bodies of many were taken up by the madmen 
of the revolution, in 1793. Some of the sculpture is 
very fine. I greatly admired the kneeling effigies of 
Francis I. and Claude, his Queen. Here is also the 
tomb of Charles, Comte d’Alencon, who fell in the 
battle of Cressy, in 1346. The marbles of this Eoyal 
charnel-house are many of them exquisitely fine, and 
in far better preservation than I had expected. The 
many chapels on the aisles are exceedingly beautiful. 

On leaving the abbey, we drove to Neuilly, the favo¬ 
rite residence of Louis Philippe. This delightful spot 
is in ruins, it having been sacked and burned by the 
Parisian mob, in 1848. We walked through the charm¬ 
ing grounds, which were now all staked off, ready for a 
great sale of the property, which was to take place soon. 
The severity of the new government, in confiscating the 
family property of the Orleans dynasty, is a lasting blot 
upon the new regime. 

The chapel dedicated to the memory of the Duke of 
Orleans, eldest son of Louis Philippe, stands not far 
from the Arc de l’Etoile. He was unfortunately killed 
by being thrown from|his carriage, July 13, 1842. 
The duke was carried to a small shop opposite the 
scene of the disaster, and there laid on a pallet in a 
back room. He lav insensible till his death, which 




CHAPEL Of'W. ?Bfrt)lNAND. 


164 

took place at ten miiintes • past four P.M. This eliapel 
ife 5 dedibatfed to St*. Pmklinand, the dlike’s 1 (patron saint, 
and was built by bis afflicted father. The chapel is a 
prcttystbne edifice about fifty feet long, by twenty in 
height. In the transept, oil the left, is ah altar to St. 
Perdhrindyand off to the right a 'group representing 
the duke upon his death died, A-Vhile' at his head is an 
angel in prayerV This exquisite' statue of the arigel 
Was the 1 work of his sister, the Princess Marie, and 
bears the initials M. 0; The rest Of the group is by 
Triqhetti. ; r In front;'as wcenfer, is the altar to the 
Virgin, 1 and surmounting it is a' statue of the V irgin 
and Child, by Triquetti. Directly behind this altar, we 
Went down three or four steps, arid entered the room 
ih which the duke died. This iS very plainly furnished, 
and is used as the sacristy. Opposite the door is a 
picture the size of life, by Jacquand, describing the 
tragic scene. The duke is lying on a pallet, physicians 
supporting his head, the queen and One of liis sisters 
kneeling at liis side; the king is gazing in the agony 
of hopeless grief, and the royal Dukes D’Aumale and 
Montpensier, and Marshals Soult and Gerard, Guizot 
and a priest fill up the group. In this room I noticed 
a small, gilt-framed painting, which the guide informed 
me was the only article saved in the sacking of Neuilly, 
and was deposited here. 

A neat building faces the door of the chapel, which 
Was intended to receive the royal family in their fre¬ 
quent'visits. I observed a richly-embroidered cushion, 
Which was the work of the Queen. One clock here has 
the hands pointing to ten minutes to twelve, When the 
accident happened; and another clock opposite, whose 
hands stand at ten minutes past four, when the heir 
apparent of this beautiful land expired. In the court 
is a cedar of Lebanon, brought home from the Mount 
by tire Duke of Orleans, and here it was planted by his 

son, the Count de Paris. 1 do not envy the man who 

-no nil be., jiuji nun til i m . giinob'ux: ae. <uuj{ ... >• 


CHAPELLE EXPIATOIRE. 


165 


can visit tliis spot unmoved. And this is all the real 
estate that the Orleans family is permitted to hold in 
France! 

We next drove to another place of deep historical 
interest; it was the Chapelle Expiatoire, in the Rue 
d’Anjou St. Honore. This is to the memory of Louis 
X\ I. and his ill-fated Queen, and stands on the spot 
where, tor twenty-one years, their remains were interred, 
till they were exhumed, and carried to St. Denis. As 
you enter the chapel on the right, you see a tine statue 
ot Louis, executed by Bossio. Never did chisel deline 
ermine so delicately as on this marble; and the lace 
scarf and frill-work is like lace itself. On the left is a 
statue of Marie Antoinette, in a kneeling posture, as if 
supplicating Madame Elizabeth for aid and support, 
who, in the person of Religion, stands beside her. The 
Queen’s face is almost one of imploring agony, and more 
of earthly emotion than heavenly grace is depicted. 
Descending to the crypt, our guide pointed out the 
four columns on which the chapel rests, and which 
serve to support the pillars of the roof, and told us 
that witliiu those vast square columns were enclosed 
the remains of those who perished in the revolution, 
thrown in a promiscuous heap, and mixed with quick¬ 
lime, and among them was the saint-like Princess 
Elizabeth. 

Leaving the chapel, we begged a flower from the 
garden. The faithful Swiss guards lie on either side 
of the garden, and their resting-place is marked by 
stone columns. These two chapels are among the most 
interesting objects we have visited in Paris. 

In former visits, I had not been to the Chateau of 
Fontainebleau, but had only passed through by rail. 
On this occasion, we made a pleasant party with some 
valued friends from New York, and went out for a long 
summer day. The railroad goes through a fine country, 
rich in corn and pasturage; the views are bold, some 
of the hills are bordering on the romantic, and the pri- 



166 


FONTAINEBLEAU. 


vate residences are many of tliem very beautiful. The 
town is finely situated in the midst of the extensive 
forest. Fontainebleau is about fifty miles from Paris, 
on the railroad to Lyons. On our arrival, we ordered 
our dinner at the Hotel de Lyons for four o’clock, and 
then started for the palace. This is esteemed the most 
beautiful one belonging to the crown. It has been 
built at different periods, but has been put together in 
the finest taste, and the parts are in good keeping. 
This was the resort of several of the early kings, but 
the present chateau was erected by Francis I.; here 
Charles Y. was received by him, and here poor Piron 
was arrested by Henry IV. Like other palaces, it has 
been a scene or horrors; in its Avails Monaldeschi was 
murdered. Here, too, Louis XIY. signed the revoca¬ 
tion of the edict of Nantes. Napoleon loved Fontaine¬ 
bleau, and here he passed much of his time. Fie made 
it the prison-house of Charles IY. of Spain, and here 
kept the Pope Pius VII. in custody. The great event 
which has given this palace a lasting interest was the 
abdication of Napoleon, in 1814. Louis Philippe spent 
vast sums in the restoration of this palace; and every¬ 
thing done to it, as it regards the building or the fur¬ 
niture, was in perfect accordance with the style of the 
edifice. 

The palace is very extensive, and you are conducted 
through vast ranges of apartments. I was most 
pleased with the rooms occupied by the Pope, and 
with the private apartments of the great Emperor. The 
table on which he signed his abdication is a plain little 
affair, not worth two dollars or three at the outside. It 
is covered with a glass case, to preserve it from the 
hands of the curiosity-hunters. The works of art and 
paintings are very numerous, and some of the last are 
of a high order. The great ball-room is a very noble 
affair; it is of oak, and richly gilt, and equal to any¬ 
thing I have seen since I left the Winter Palace, in St. 
Petersburg. Some portions of this building date back 


FOREST OF FONTAINEBLEAU. 


1C 7 


to the eleventh century, and the chapel on the lower 
floor is said to have been consecrated by Thomas a 
Becket, in 1169. Here are fine gardens, in capital 
order, and a large fish-pond, well stocked with carp. 
We looked with intense emotion at the stairway of the 
chateau where Napoleon took his farewell of the army. 
That must have been the hour of his soul’s darkness. 
In this palace Louis Philippe had collected the entire 
history of Prance from its earliest records, upon Sevres 
china plates, which are here framed, and suspended on 
the walls of a gallery. The bedrooms of Henry IY. 
and Mary de Medicis, Louis IX., and Marie Antoinette, 
are fine apartments. In this Queen’s boudoir is a vase 
of gold and ivory, given to her at her ill-starred mar¬ 
riage. Here is a vast quantity of Gobelin tapestry; 
the history of Esther is one of the subjects. 

A very severe thunder-storm kept us prisoners for 
some time. On its passing off, we repaired to the 
hotel, and had a comfortable dinner. We met with an 
agreeable travelled gentleman at the table, and, after 
finding that the cosmopolite was a New Yorker, we in¬ 
vited him to join our party for a visit to the forest. 
We had a large carryall, with side curtains. The dri¬ 
ver was communicative, and called attention to the 
most famous trees of this beautiful spot. I think 
some of the oaks transcend in beauty any that I have 
seen before. The three brothers are wondrous produc¬ 
tions, and cannot be less than six or seven hundred 
years old. Just as we were midway in the forest, it 
began to rain furiously. The curtains were no defence, 
as they had no fastenings ; and we proposed that the 
ladies should sit down on the floor of the carriage, and 
we would protect them with the cushions as far as pos¬ 
sible, and then over all we threw the ladies’ woollen 
shawls. Such times of fun and laughter I have rarely 
seen, as we had amid the storm, thunder and lightning. 

Soon after our return, the sun shone forth brilliantly. 
Our good friend Mr, Leggett will not soon forget his 




168 


FONTAINEBLEAU. 


ride with the young ladies in the forest of Fontaine¬ 
bleau. This forest is about thirty miles in circum¬ 
ference, and contains more than thirty-two thousand 
acres. The scenery is very diversified, and in some 
parts the rocks and waterfalls are highly romantic. 
Wolves are still troublesome to the farmers, and a price 
is yet set upon their heads. The town is quite pretty, 
has fine clean streets, large shops ; and, if I wanted to 
sit down quietly in France for the autumn months, I 
think it would be in this grand old town. The grapes 
of this vicinity are exceedingly fine, and the vineyards 
have been famous since the days of the jovial Francis, 
who introduced the best varieties of the grape. 


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169 


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CHAPTER XT IT, 

• i »ii -1 II tfOI 'ill *lii id (i<K)|i )•»>• |‘i/ 

• I ' l I . i - > Ill it - : if 

REV. J. B. PEAKR—NAPOLEON S TOMB IN THE HOTEL DBS INYALIDES—- 
LOUIS PHILIPPE — DESCRIPTION OF THE CRYPT — GALLERY, ETC.— 
MOSAICS—CARYATIDES — SARCOPHAGUS — RELIQUARY — ALTAR ANDi 
BALDAQUIN—GlillDE—CLIMATE OF PARIS—OVERTURES MADE TO MR, 
VANDERBILT — WOODMAN AND FORR—RAILROAD TO ROUE*/— 11 AlS* 
TORIC NOTICE—POPULATION OF ROUEN — CATHEDRAL ^INTERIOR-*- 
MONUMENTS—RICHARD CCEUR DE LION, ETC.—ABBEY OF ST. OUBN 
— PALACE OF JUSTICE — JOAN OF ARC — CORNEILLE — ENGLISH 
CHURCH—VISITORS. 


During mv stay at the Hotel de Windsor, I enjoyed 
much pleasure in the society of an English clergyman 
also resident in the hotel, the Rev. J. R. Peake, of 
Whitchurch, in Shropshire. This gentleman was a 
most pleasant companion in my city rambles, and we 
both had many views and opinions in common, though 
belonging to different pales of the Christian church. 
Mr. Peake, like myself, is engaged in the education of 
lads, and was now passing his vacation on the conti¬ 
nent. I really hope that we may meet again, and am 
disposed to believe that the desire is entertained by my 
friend and brother. Mr. Peake joined our entire party 
in visiting the Hotel des Invalides, for the purpose of 
seeing Napoleon’s tomb. This required some manage¬ 
ment, as the great work was not quite finished, and the 
public were not admitted. All the difficulties being 
removed, we made our visit. 

The remains of the Emperor were brought to Erance 
in triumph, in 1840, in a frigate commanded by the 
Prince de Joinville. A noble procession of steamboats 
conveyed the body to Ncuilly, On a car thirty feet 





170 


NAPOLEON’S TOMB—THE CRYPT. 


high, and drawn by sixteen black horses, it was carried 
to tlie Invalides. Galleries were erected to accommo¬ 
date nearly thirty thousand persons. Candelabra of 
vast size adorned and illuminated the church, and in 
front of the altar was a magnificent catafalque, covered 
with violet-colored velvet, and this adorned with impe¬ 
rial emblems to receive the sarcophagus. The pall¬ 
bearers were Bertrand, Gourgand, and the surviving 
marshals of the empire. The King and his family were 
present. How much Louis Philippe was accessory to 
his own dethronement, is a question that may well be 
pondered. 

The body was then placed in the chapel of this 
church, which was itself elaborately fitted up. But the 
government immediately addressed itself to the prepa¬ 
ration of a tomb befitting the greatest man who ever 
ruled in France. It would take a volume to describe 
the gorgeous arrangements for this unrivalled sepulchre. 
I have, therefore, preferred to give a good engraving of 
the entrance to the crypt; and through the door- way is 
seen the tomb itself, and the monuments of Duroc and 
Bertrand are seen on either side. 

The tomb is surmounted by a marble balustrade 
breast-high, and the entrance-door is guarded by two 
colossal funeral genii. This engraving shows the high 
altar of the church, as you enter the edifice. The other 
side, towards the tomb, is still more elaborate. The 
altar, the balustrade around it, the hand-rail and the 
pedestals which support the candelabra, are formed of 
black marble from the Pyrenees and green marble from 
the Alps. Over the door-way leading to the tomb is 
Bonaparte’s dying request: 

“ I DESIRE THAT MY ASHES MAY REPOSE ON THE 
BANKS OF THE SEINE, IN THE MIDST OF THE FRENCH 
PEOPLE, WHOM I LOVED SO WELL.” 

The crypt is a circular gallery, of about seven or 
eight feet wide, with a central space, formed by twelve 
marble arches, and the before-named balustrade con- 


MOSAICS—SARCOPHAGUS. 


171 


necting them with each other; and between these 
arches are twelve caryatides, fifteen feet high. The 
sarcophagus stands in the centre, with the ends towards 
the doors. 

This gallery around is paved with mosaics, and its 
wall is thrown into divisions, which correspond with 
the arches of the centre work. The doors of the crypt 
and reliquary occupy two of these divisions, and the 
other ten are devoted to marble bas-reliefs. Twelve 
bronze lamps are suspended from the roof of this circu¬ 
lar gallery. The bas-reliefs are the exquisite produc¬ 
tion of Simard, and are allegorical representations of 
the great acts and institutions of the Emperor’s 
reign. The subjects are the Institution of the Legion 
of Honor, Encouragement of Commerce and Industry, 
Public Works, Establishment of the Audit Office, 
Establishment of the University of France, the Concor¬ 
dat, the Civil Code, the Foundation of the Council of 
State, Organization of Public Administration, Pacifica¬ 
tion of Civil Troubles. 

The mosaics in the passage leading to the tomb are 
very rich. A larger one is an eagle surmounted by the 
imperial diadem. Each of the caryatides, with the 
pillar against which it stands, is formed of a single 
block of marble. The sarcophagus is very imposing 
from its simplicity. It is composed of quartz gritstone, 
and was procured from a quarry in Eussia. The cover 
is one slab. The coffin, of tin, is enclosed in maho¬ 
gany ; this has two cases of lead, and over all is an 
ebony coffin. The sarcophagus itself is lined with grey 
Corsican granite. Here, then, will lie the remains of 
Napoleon Bonaparte till the last trumpet shall sound, 
and all ranks shall be abolished, and he will stand with 
the humblest of his subjects before the King eternal— 
unless the good pleasure of Parisians shall by and by de¬ 
cide upon pulling down what they formerly built up 
with so much enthusiasm. 

Q 2 




172 RELIQUARY—ALTAR AND BALDAQUIN. 

The Reliquary, or sword-room, is a very elegant 
apartment, lined with white marble. Directly facing 
the door stands a marble statue of Napolean in imperial 
costume, the sceptre in one hand and a globe in the 
other. In front of this statue is a pedestal of dark por¬ 
phyry, from Finland, on which is a rich bronze cushion, 
where repose the hat which Napolean wore at Austerlitz, 
his sword used at that battle, his epaulettes, orders, and 
a gold crown. On either side is a tripod supporting 
the flags which are identified with his military exploits. 
On the walls are recorded the names of battles in which 
he commanded in person. The pavement of this apart¬ 
ment is inlaid with mosaic medallions, descriptive of 
imperial power. 

I think the Altar and Baldaquin exceed in magnifi¬ 
cence any work of man that I have ever seen; and, 
standing before it and looking around upon the entire 
scene, I feel that all earthly splendor that this world has 
witnessed in the monumental art must pale before this 
sepulchral chef-d'oeuvre. Twelve years have been 
devoted to this national labor, and it is now nearly 
finished. Our guide was one of the Old Guard 
who accompanied Napoleon to Elba and St. Helena, 
and is now the custodian of his tomb. We saw the 
coffin in a chapel, where it lies in great magnificence, 
awaiting its final removal. 

During all my visits to Paris, which have been in 
June, July, December, January and February, I have 
been observant of the weather and climate. I have 
noticed no fogs nor mists. The air is dry, and those 
who have had a tendency to cough, bronchial irritation, or 
asthmatical symptoms, are always relieved. In no 
place have I felt the state of the skin so healthy as in 
this citv. In all cases where invalids visit Paris and 

V 

find that they improve, I think they would do well 
to abide quietly. I have seen bad consequences 
ensue from not letting well-enough satisfy. We all, as 


OVERTURES MADE TO MR. VANDERBILT. 173 

a party, had our health perfectly in Paris; enjoyed 
every hour of our visit, and left this beautiful city with 
regret. 

I ought to mention that our stay in Paris was one of 
nineteen days. During our abode here several gentle¬ 
men and noblemen called on Mr. Vanderbilt, expressing 
an earnest wish to have him identify himself with a 
new steam-ship line which the government proposed to 
open with North, South and Central America. To 
these overtures, which were urged in the most flattering 
terms, Mr. Vanderbilt gave no encouragement; but 
freely communicated his views, and offered the results 
of his experience. The subject was afterwards revived, 
and the most pressing invitations to revisit Paris were 
forwarded to Mr. Vanderbilt, at Constantinople, and the 
first names in Prance, both civilians and capitalists, 
were involved in the proposal. And had Mr. Vander¬ 
bilt gone abroad with any desire to advance his interests 
by commercial operations, the opportunities afforded 
him were as brilliant as a business man could desire. 
Put his aims and objects were strictly private, and 
personal enjoyment and the happiness of his circle was 
all he attempted. 

Having finished our business with Mr. Woodman* 
the prince of tailors, and Porr, the best shoemaker in 
Paris, we took the train of cars for Eouen, which is 
eighty-four miles from Paris. Our route lay on the 
banks of the Seine, and we passed through Clicliy, 
Colombes, where the Queen of Charles I.died in poverty; 
Poissy, Meulan, Mantes, where William the Conqueror 
met his death-wound; Ptosny, the favorite residence of 
the great Sully. On our way we noticed some exceed¬ 
ingly fine churches, of apparently an early date. The 
town of Vernon is a fine-looking old place. Every 
time I pass this road I long to make a sauntering tour 
along the banks of the Seine. How much I wanted to 
make a tarry in Andelys, Gaillard, and other sweet 
spots on the river side. Elboeuf is a large, flourishing 




174 ROUEN—ITS HISTORY AND SIEGES. 

town, with many manufactories of cloth, and around 
are villas indicative of taste and wealth. The Seine, 
in all its course, winds through a cultivated valley, and 
presents at every bend the most picturesque views. 
Next to Paris, I regard Rouen as the most interesting 
city in Prance, and, in some respects, one of the most 
extraordinary cities of Europe. This place lies on the 
north bank of the river, across which there is a fine 
stone bridge, and I believe also a suspension bridge; 
but I was engaged in noticing the glorious approach to 
this city, and the show which it presents of its vener¬ 
able cathedral, and the abbey church of St. Ouen. 
Ptolemy speaks of this city by the name of Rothoma- 
gus. The Romans occupied and fortified it, and remains 
of their walls are yet to be traced. The Church of 
Rome claims that Christanity was introduced here by 
the apostles. Saint Ouen built churches here during 
his episcopate, in the seventh century. Rollo, the 
Norwegian, who became Duke of Normandy, was a 
a great benefactor to Rouen. Under his care it grew 
and flourished. 

This city was strongly fortified at an early period, 
and has often been the scene of siege and carnage. Its 
sieges date in 949, by the Emperor Otho, and Louis 
IV. of Prance ; in 1204, by Philip Augustus; in 1418, 
by Henry V., King of England; in 1449, when Charles 
VII. took it from England; in 1591, by Plenry IV. 
This is quite a place of business, and it has numerous 
manufactures, which are prosperous. The city is en¬ 
gaged in foreign commerce, and I saw vessels at the 
quays of three hundred tons. The custom-house is a 
good building. The population is about one hundred 
and twenty thousand inhabitants. The narrow streets 
are thronged with people, and everywhere the hum of 
cheerful industry was heard. The streets are precisely 
as they were when Prancis I. was in power; and I am 
carried back to the days of the sixteenth century more 
really than I ever was before. I feel that I am gazing 



KOUEN 
































































ROUEN CATHEDRAL. 


175 

at the very houses on which Joan of Arc has looked, 
and am amid the same scenes that pleased and occupied 
her cruel tormentors. 

Every one said, “ Let us go to the cathedraland 
on the way we picked up a boy, who was a willing, 
cheerful, chatty guide. On our w r ay, I was tempted to 
explore sundry portfolios of engravings, and made a 
quick but very satisfactory investment. After rummag¬ 
ing the quays of Paris in vain, 1 here stumbled upon 
the objects of my earnest desire. I think everything 
in Bouen looked better after my purchase of sundry 
Woollets and Sharpes, &c. 0, what steep streets, what 

narrow streets, what beetling house-tops, what moss- 
covered fountains, what dustv, cobwebbed curiosity- 
shops, 1 passed, that hot morning! “ There ! there !” 

says good Dr. Linsly, as he caught the west front of 
the cathedral, “ what a church !” And it is indeed a 
sight to wonder at, admire, and then think about. I 
wanted to stand and spend an hour at this spot. No 
engraving can describe the glories of this front. It 
reminds me of Wells Cathedral, which was the first 
large ecclesiastical pile of great merit which I saw; 
and I well remember that it affected me to illness; it 
overpowered my mind, at my childish age. This front 
is one hundred and eighty-feet wide, and one hundred 
and fifty feet at its loftiest pitch. It has three porches 
between the two towers, and the bas-reliefs are illus¬ 
trative of ITerodias’ dancing, and the decapitation of 
John the Baptist. We entered by the middle door, 
and at once saw the length and altitude of the nave. 
Our attention was directed to the lantern of the tower, 
which is upheld by four immense pillars, which cluster 
thirty-one columns into a circumference of forty feet 
each. The windows of this edifice are one hundred 
and thirty, and these are the best specimens of painted 
glass in France, especially those of the time of the 
Renaissance. The rose windows of the transept and 
over the organ are deemed matchless. One of these 




176 HEART OP RICHARD CGBUR DE LION. 

represents tlie [Father, surrounded by angels, with 
music ; and again these are surrounded by ten angels, 
each holding emblems of the Passion. The dimensions 
of the cathedral are about four hundred and forty feet 
in length, the transept one hundred and seventy-five 
feet, and the nave is ninety feet high. The chapels are 
twenty-five in number, and I noticed several females at 
the confessional. Old Kollo lies in the chapel of St. 
Komain ; he was removed here from the nave in 1063. 
Here is the grave and monument of John, Duke of 
Bedford, the Kegent of Prance, 1435. King Louis XI. 
was great enough to refuse to destroy this tomb. His 
language was, “Isay, God save his soul; and let his 
body now lie in rest, which, when he was alive, would 
have disquieted the proudest of us all!” The most 
splendid monument here was that of the two Cardinals 
Amboise—uncle and nephew. The uncle was the 
liberal restorer of this church. The monument is of black 
and white marble, the figures of white marble, kneeling 
beneath an elaborate Gothic canopy. Below is St. George 
in gilt; and the frieze is surrounded by six small female 
sculptures, which are emblems of the virtues displayed 
by the cardinals. In this church is the grave of Kichard 
Coeur de Lion. I was interested in looking at the free¬ 
stone statue which decorated this tomb. He is in a 
recumbent posture, his head on a cushion, and his feet 
against a crouching lion. A search was made in 1838, 
and the heart of Kichard was found in a double box of 
lead, and on it this inscription, in letters of that age: 

HIC : JACET : COR : RICIIARDI : REGIS : 

ANGLORUM. 

This heart our party afterwards saw in the museum, in 
the glass case in which it was originally placed. It had 
much the appearance of a piece of leather, but was 
evidently a heart. We were all pleased with the tomb 
of Louis de Breze, 1531. This monument was erected 
by his widow, Diana of Poictiers. This is a monument 
having four pillars of black marble, between which is a 


ABBEY OE ST. OUEN. 177 

coffin, on which is laid a white marble statue of the 
deceased. The body is quite naked—the left hand on 
the breast. This is a wondrous resemblance of death. 
Diana is kneeling at the head. She afterwards forgot 
her sorrows in the arms of the Second Henry. Over 
the monument, the warrior is on horseback in full ar¬ 
mour. I should much like to have an engraving of this 
tomb. A fine staircase leads to the ancient library. In 
the altar of the Lady Chapel is a grand picture, “ The 
Adoration of the Shepherds, 55 by Philip de Champagne. 
The exterior of this edifice is grandeur itself. The west 
fa 9 ade was built by Cardinal Amboise. The spire was 
burned in 1822 ; but a cast-iron open-work pyramid 
now takes its place, composed of two thousand five 
hundred and forty pieces, and put together by twelve 
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine iron pins; its 
elevation four hundred and thirty-six feet, and its weight 
one million two hundred thousand pounds. 

We now went to the Abbey of St. Ouen, the oldest 
church in Normandv. It was founded in 533, in the 
days of Clothaire I. The Normans landed in 841, and 
burned it; but Rollo, on becoming a Christian, rebuilt 
it. It was built and rebuilt; but, in 1236, ten years 
after its completion, the work of eighty years was 
destroyed by fire. Again it was burned in 1248. 
Early in the fourteenth century this edifice was com¬ 
menced, and was finished early in the sixteenth. I 
was again awe-struck with this western rose-window, 
of which Dibdin said such beautiful things, declaring 
this church “ could hardly have a rival, and certainly 
not a superior.” Here are one hundred and twenty- 
five windows, and the dimensions about the same as 
the cathedral. I really felt grateful to the workmen 
who are so carefully repairing this exquisite piece of 
architecture. I must say no more of this precious 
pile, but away to other objects; only observing that I 
saw the ruins of noble churches now used as ware¬ 
houses and factories. 




178 OLDEST HOUSE IN ROUEN. 

Rouen reminds me of Chester; but it looks more 
ancient, far, than that city. We hurried to the markets, 
and found everything exposed for sale that can be 
imagined. As we walked along, we could not help 
paying attention to the strongly-built Norman Horse, 
which looks like the embodiment of endurance. We 
now went to the Palace of Justice, built 1499. A more 
beautiful bit of architecture cannot be found in France. 
The roof has no pillar of support. This edifice is one 
side of a square, and is adorned with all that the archi¬ 
tecture of the age understood of delicacy and splendor. 
The angular pillars of the piers are covered with cano¬ 
pied statues and miniature steeples; numerous orna¬ 
ments surround the windows, a leaden balustrade sur¬ 
mounts the roof, and an elegant octangular turret 
occupies the middle of the fa 9 ade. Hence a massive 
flight of stone steps leads to the Salle des Procureurs. 
The Palace of Justice is almost as beautiful as the 
Hotel de Ville, at Brussels. 

We were all anxious to find our way to the Place de 
la Pucelle, where Joan of Arc was burned, in 1431, in 
accordance with the superstition of that age. How 
little is popular opinion worth! One generation says, 
Crucify!—the next says, Hosanna ! This girl was 
burned for a heretic, and is now well-nigh worshipped 
for a saint. Here, turning from the spot, we found a 
house regarded as one of the oldest in Rouen. At the 
left-hand entrance the wall is covered with bas-relief 
figures, representing Henry VIII. and Francis I. going 
to the Champ de Drap d’Or. Here, in this very liaLl 
and entry, walked the gay and jovial monarch Francis 
I., and in this gateway sounded his bugles. The work 
on these Avails is very elaborate, and every portion of 
the relievo ought to be engraved. Prevort, who has 
published a memoir on this building, called <$ The Hotel 
du Bourgtheroulde,” fixes its date at 1486. 

The roofs of the houses are covered with Avood, in 
various tile-shapes. 1 stopped at several shops, to 


HAVRE—-DISTINGUISHED VISITORS. 179 

admire tlie cabinet furniture. The wood is chiefly 
black walnut, and several articles were of great beauty 
of finish. 

The ladies were mostly bent on seeing* sights, at a 
rate which some of us thought beyond the bounds of 

moderation; and Mrs. T-and I quietly retraced 

our steps, and found the comfort of a good dinner no 
mean restorative of wearied nature. I got, in Bouen, 
some glimpses of the neighbouring heights, which 
satisfied me that from their summits a prospect of 
the valley of the Seine, with the antique towers of 
this incomparable old city, would amply repay the 
wayfarer who should ascend them. On the stone 
bridge is a statue of Corneille, who was born here. 

Our route to Havre, by rail, was in the dark, and 
we saw little, of course. On reaching Havre, we 
found the operation of coaling going on; and a sad, 
dirty affair it is, especially in wet weather. We passed 
the Sabbath day here, and attended service in the 
English church, where we heard a rather dull sermon. 
The American Sailors’ Chapel was not open that Sun¬ 
day, owing to the absence of the chaplain. At this 
port we met with the Humboldt steam-ship, and had 
much pleasure in welcoming her commander, Captain 
Lyndes, on board the yacht. He is a fine specimen of 
the American seaman. Captain Eldridge and his 
friend Lyndes had a good time; they are men made 
for each other. 

While the North Star lay at Havre, she was visited 
by thousands of persons, many of whom came from 
Paris and other cities. Among other distinguished 
visitors was the Minister at War. We were under 
many obligations to Mr. Yesey and Mr. Smith, for 
kind attentions; and, on Monday, July 25, we steamed 
off for the Mediterranean, amid the cheering of a large 
crowd gathered upon the docks. 





180 


CHAPTER XIV. 

* 

VOYAGE RESUMED — BAY OF BISCAY — VIGO BAY — LOSS OF ROBERT 
OGDEN FLINT — ROCK OF LISBON — CAPE ST. VINCENT—TRAFALGAR 
— TARIFA — COAST OF AFRICA — ROCK OF GIBRALTAR — MALAGA — 
QUARANTINE — WATERING — VISITORS FROM SHORE—FUNERAL SER¬ 
MON—CATHEDRAL—BEGGARS IN THE STREETS—A PRETTY BOY AND 
A STRONG RESEMBLANCE — JOSE CUBERO—PRIEST WITH BELL AND 
BOX—BULL RING—REV. CHARLES BRERETON— BISHOP OF BARCE¬ 
LONA—CALECHES AND DRIVERS—RIDE TO MR. DELIUS’ VILLA AND 
VINEYARDS—ALAMEDA—MULETEERS—MR. CONSUL SMITH—HARBOR 
OF MALAGA. 

Monday, July 25.—On a bright cheerful day we left 
the clock gates, at noon, sailing to make Cape Barfleur, 
La Hogue, Casket lights, Isle of Ushant light,—having- 
passed the channel islands to our left. The swell from 
the westward was heavy, and the ship’s motion grew 
uneasy, and we soon realized the truth of the character 
usually ascribed to the Bay of Biscay; it was a dis¬ 
agreeable pitch— 

“ All the day. 

As we lay 

In the Bay of Biscay, O !’* 

but we were spared from appropriating to our own ex¬ 
perience the entire song of old Andrew Cherry. We 
now made Cape Binisterre, on the morning of the 28th, 
with a clear balmy sky, and moderate breeze from the 
north-west. We ran down the bold coast of Spain, 
and skirted it closely, so as to obtain fine views of its 
prominent points. Cigars were again in brisk demand, 
and the temperature w T as as fine as we could desire. 
Our distance from shore was five to eight miles; we 
looked into Vigo Bay, and, with our glares, had a 





LOSS OF ROBERT OGDEN FLINT. 131 

distinct view of Camina, tlie boundary town between 
Spain and Portugal, and here we saw an English 
homeward bound steam-ship. 

, tbe morning of the 29th, at about half-past five 
o clock, I heard an unusual noise on deck, and the cry 
of* “man overboard.” I hurried up, and found Mr. 
Cope and three of the sailors getting down the boat, 
and just got a glimpse of a poor fellow, with his hands 
up, astern. I was, with others, busy in throwing over 
the life-preserving stools, before I asked who the man 
was. I was grieved to learn that it was Mr. Flint, 
one of our quartermasters. The boat was off, our 
steamer stopped, and a search of an hour made, but in 
vain; the ocean was calm, but our poor shipmate was 
unable to swim, and he probably went down almost 
without a struggle. As we had been going fast, we 
were far from him instantly, and the chances were small 
to recover one who had no power to sustain himself. 
He was on the quarter deck when the men were shift¬ 
ing the main-sheet, and a flap from it struck him off 
as he stood at the extreme edge of the stern, outside 
the netting. With heavy hearts we watched the boat 
slowly return from the unsuccessful search, and we left 
Bobert Ogden Flint to rest in his ocean grave till the 
sea shall give up its treasures. All was done by 
Captain Eldridge and Mr. Cope that was possible. 
The sad event took place in N. lat. 39, 55, and 9, 43 
W. long. This was our only gloomy day since leaving 
New York. Mr. Flint was a young man of respectable 
connections; his father was an eminent physician in 
Massachusetts, and his brother, Dr. Flint, of Buffalo, 
one of the most scientific practitioners in our country. 
Our young friend was fond of his profession, and we 
had often spoken of him as affording high promise ; he 
was only twenty years of age, had just been promoted 
at Havre to the rank of quarter-master ; highly intelli¬ 
gent and affable, he had made himself a favorite with 
all Our party. Our hearts ached for his widowed mo- 




182 HOCK OF LISBON— * CAPE ST. VINCENT. 

tlier, and we offered sincere prayers that God, the 
widow’s God and husband, would comfort her in her 
sore bereavement. At a subsequent period, a gentle¬ 
man started a subscription paper, which was filled up 
by the officers, crew, and the members of the party, to 
place a suitable monument to the memory of Mr. Flint, 
in the Greenwood cemetery; and as I am writing, I 
learn that a granite one is in course of erection. 

Coasting south, we came to the Farilhoens, and 
steered close to the Burlings isles and light, which lie 
a little off the shore. These islands are high, rugged- 
looking rocks, and they made quite an appearance from 
our deck. The Farilhoens have near them a cluster of 
islets, called the Estellas. Our course was then direct 
for Cape P^oca, or the Pock of Lisbon; to this we 
came very close at twelve o’clock. Behind the rook I 
observed that the land rose to a great elevation, with 
many ridges. On the northern slope of this range 
stands the town of Cintra. We longed to visit this 
fine city,—visit the beautiful Cintra; and still more 1 
desired to meet with a friend whose society on a former 
voyage had made much of the pleasure I experienced 
in crossing the ocean. This was the Honorable Mr. 
Haddock, who represented the United States at the 
court of Portugal. To be so near him and his charm¬ 
ing family, and yet not see him, was a mortification. 
We made direct for Cape St. ATncent,—remembering 
Jarvis and Nelson in 1797,—and passed so close as to 
have a capital view of this remarkable headland, on 
the summit of which stands a venerable-looking con¬ 
vent, with several towers. What a look-out the old 
monks must have had over the Atlantic waves ! And 
though to-day it was bliss to breathe the clear, warm 
element of life, and all around was calm as a summer 
evening, yet I fancy that Cape St. Vincent is familiar 
with other phases of ocean wave. The cape is very 
precipitous, and off to the north it presents some 
broken rocks, which stand up like the Needles. Off 


HOCK OF GIBRALTAR. 18$ 

this cape we passed five steamers. We pursued our 
course to the straits, passing- by Cadiz, into which Ave 
had a pleasant peep, and then on over Trafalgar Bay, 
where the subject of conversation was chiefly upon 
Nelson and his victory. I could not forget that in 
these same waters another of Britain’s great and gifted 
sons had found liis last resting-place. It was off Tra¬ 
falgar that Sir David Wilkie Avas buried, from the 
Oriental steamship, in 1842. We Avere off the cape 
July 30th, at tAvelve o’clock. The elevation of this 
famous spot is not considerable, and on one of its 
corners stands a round toAver. This is the north-Avestern 
point of the entrance to the straits, and Ave iioav 
shaped a line to Tarifa, a very old and fine-looking 
place, settled by the Moors, and called after a Berber 
chief. It has long since lost the importance Avliich it 
once possessed. The toAvn looked venerable and pic¬ 
turesque, but small for a population of more than ten 
thousand. In 1812 it Avas possessed by the English, 
and Avas beseiged by Marshal Victor, Avho Avas com¬ 
pelled to retreat. The light-house stands on an island 
rock, and on this is the chief fortress of the toAA'n. 
This is the most southerly point of Europe. Al] 
around us were ships of various descriptions, making 
for the Mediterranean, Avith a fine Avesterly breeze. Our 
aAvning was noAv desirable, as the sun was very pow¬ 
erful ; and under its shade we greatly enjoyed the 
prospect, as Ave gazed upon the African coast from 
Cape Spartel doAvn to Ceuta. The shore is grand and 
rugged, and is very high, elevated in some places to 
about three thousand feet. But every eye is turned to 
the north-east, and many voices exclaimed, “ There’s 
the Bock 1” 

Never Avas Imore enchanted Avith the sight of any spot 
than that of Gibraltar. This Avas the accomplishment 
of a day dream of early life; and now here I was, under 
a class of advantageous circumstances such as I could 




184 


AFRICAN COAST. 


never have anticipated, and few men can possibly en¬ 
joy. The straits are nearly twelve miles wide, and the 
prospect on either coast is clearly defined. There we 
were now off Gibralter; we slowly passed, and every 
opera-glass was in requisition. We did not propose to 
stop till our return; and now only looked at the 
crouching lion, of which it has been said that the rock 
is a striking resemblance. “ His forehead, high and 
massive, rests upon the fore-paws, doggedly over-look¬ 
ing the low beach, which, Nahant-like, connects it 
with Spain ; and the bristling mane and back are the 
rock outline against the sky. The formidable monster 
is three miles long from the forehead and nose to the 
tip of the tail, and of the exact proportions in height 
and breadth of a well-shaped lion. Against his left 
ribs are a brood of houses, which nestle under his 
protection, and are Avashed by the waves of tli'e bay.” 
This very graphic description is taken from “ The 
Shores of the Mediterranean,” a Avork Avritten by the 
Hon. Francis Schroeder, our present Charge d’Affaires 
at SAveden, and published by the Harpers in 1846. 
Of these volumes I Avould say that I read them Avith 
pleasure, on their issue from the press, and very care¬ 
fully consulted them whilst coasting through the sea; 
and I am so satisfied Avitli their accuracy, and impressed 
with the great beauty of their free sketches of scenery, 
that I Avould earnestly advise no traveller to go through 
the Mediterranean Avithout them; and all persons Avho 
desire to have an acquaintance Avith these enchanting 
shores, and cannot go abroad, to study them carefully. 
I regard Mr. Schroeder’s work as the best guide-book 
extant; and lam sure that the wayfarer Avho may use 
these volumes Avill often thank their author for much 
enjoyment. 

The African coast attracted me, with its lofty Abyla, 
on whose summit Avas a fleecy cloud; far aivay Avas the 
range of the Atlas Mountains. Abyla Avas the African 


OIT MALAGA—QUARANTINE. 1S5 

pillar of Hercules, and Calpe the European one. At 
eig-lit o’clock we were beyond the rock, and in this 
latitude there is no northern twilight, but 

“ As sets the sun on Afric’s shore. 

One instant—all is night.” 

A\ e lay our course oft for Malaga, and the night was 
thick ami murky, but at day-light, on Sunday, July 
31st, we were in its charming bay. 

As soon as we had anchored, our party were on 
deck, and I never saw persons more charmed than we 
all wore with the splendid panorama which lay before us. 
The town is built on a circular bay;—it is on a gentle 
hill, and all around is a back-ground of lofty and 
romantic mountains. Directly in front of ns was the 
cathedral, a very large and imposing edifice; off to its 
left a ravine between the mountains, and a plain, on 
which a large part of the city is built, and through 
which runs a small river. Off further left, are vast 
manufactories and lofty chimnies, which make a fine 
show against a blue and cloudless sky; and away to 
the right of the cathedral is a picturesque Moorish 
castle, and immense fortifications, with zig-zag roads 
up to them, that as we look up at them from the deck 
of our yacht, seem impracticable for anything but 
goats or mules. The city is very fine looking, a great 
deal of white and green. We are pretty close in,— 
and what a noise and clatter ! A Spanish lad, who 
belongs to our ship, is a native of Malaga, and he tells 
me that it comes from the market, which is now just 
opened, and hundreds are praising their fish, flesh and 
fowl; and he says the noise will increase till nine or 
ten o’clock,—and we found it so. Now the health- 
officer came off, and found that we came from 
Erance, which receives ships from parts of Europe 
where cholera exists: so we are to perform two days’ 
quarantine. Well, be it so,—with such a sky, such 
a temperature, such a prospect, I never could be bet¬ 
ter off. And there came a boat full of good things, 




186 yiSi'j?oiis— ma^aoAv 

vegetables of all sorts, but, best of all, grapes ; the 
grapes Muscat, the Erontinac aaid Sweet \Aater. 
l\Ie all felt acquiescent, and unanimously voted that 
'quarantine was not so bad a thing as we had heard it 
alleged to be. 

P j But I ! suspect that, after all, quarantine is not 
always (Seen from the deck of a steam yacht, by men 
sitting under a spacious canopy, and surrounded by 
every luxury. Our consul, Mr. Smith, came off, and 
from his boat held a friendly chat, and we made ar- 
mrrangements for our supply of water. 

This ; had to be brought us in hogsheads by boats, 
and Then they were/ hoisted into the yacht; and on 
their return to the boat, it was amusing to see the far¬ 
cical purification to which they were subjected before 
they were again deposited. Each hogshead was a- 
bundantly aspersed and besprinkled with salt-water. 
Nothing but money escaped, and that seemed to be re¬ 
garded, as the root or cause; of no evil. We received 
an .assurance from the town authorities that at twelve 
^o’clock on Tuesday our imprisonment should terminate. 
,Apd y as soon as the hour arrived, the bay was crowded 
with boats and feluccas, and we had visitors in shoals ; 
and ; some of them were really not likely soon to be 
forgotten; * We had on board our ship that day some 
of the prefticst girls I ever saw ; and the older ladies, 
too; had-teyes of wondrous power. The Spaniards 
were in, ecstasies with the ship, and I think hundreds 
that day enjoyed the visit. The governor and his staff 
honored us with their company. Our great object in 
submitting* to quarantine was to obtain a clean bill-of- 
liealth for the Mediterranean ports. The thermometer 
was* at eighty-five, as we sat looking from our awning 
Qyprjthe bay of about fifteen miles’ extent. 

. f < On the Sabbath-day we observed our service at 
eleven o’clock, and I preached a funeral-sermon for our 
Ipst friend, Mr, Flint, from Jeremiah 12 : 5—“ What 
Will thou ,do, in the swellings of Jordan ? ” 


Malaga cathedral. 187 

In the absence of oui* visitors, we took our boats 
and landed in Malaga—most of us for the first time 
touching Spanish ground. Our first attention was 
directed to the cathedral, which we had looked at for two 
days. This stupendous temple was begun by Philip 
II. in 1538, and only finished in 1719. The style is 
not good; it wants unity. It is intended for Grecian, 
and has a bold facade between the two dwarf towers. 
I he interior is very rich, and yet not in keeping. The 
choir has good carved work, and the roof is richly 
adorned with oak and cliesnut carvings. The pulpit is 
very fine, of reddish marble. I noticed several pic¬ 
tures, but the light was bad. A Madonna struck me 
as good. The choristers were preparing for vespers, 
and a dirty-looking set of children they were. I ob¬ 
served one boy who had six fingers and a thnmb on 
his left hand. Leaving the church, we were surrounded 
by a crowd of children, half-grown men and women, 
and several old crones. I think our body-guard num¬ 
bered from twenty to thirty, and they stuck close to 
us; and, as we were some sixteen or eighteen, we 
made quite an array passing through the narrow streets 
of Malaga, many of which were not more than ten feet 
wide. If we entered a shop, they guarded the doors, 
and as we came out they smiled and took up their march. 
Some of the boys were, though poorly clad, of exqui¬ 
site beauty. One, about thirteen, was as fine a faced 
boy as is often seen. Murillo would have made a pic¬ 
ture of the chap. I see him now, all radiant with 
smiles. He attached himself to our party closely, and 
greatly pleased Mrs.-, who imagined that his glo¬ 

rious black eyes strongly resembled those of her dear 
absent boy of the same age, whom she had left at 
home. Again and again did she speak of the strong 
resemblance, and called my attention to the fact. Pre¬ 
sently her kind feelings, which were strongly enlisted 
towards the lad, led her to ask her husband to give 
him a quarter-dollar, which he received with sunny 





I&8- BULL-RING; ^NP^MBIUTHE^TRE. 

smiles, aild then deposited in ] its month for safe-keeping. 
Again the-lady exclaimed 5 “ 0, how much he resembles 

my.-dean--1” There he was at her side trotting 

along and looking up in her face, when suddenly he un- 
btvttoilCd' his»ragged pants, pulled out the tail of his 
shirt, whipped the coin from his mouth, tied it up iu 
the (Comer of the nether garment, and went on re¬ 
adjusting his delapidated trousers. I- could uot help 
asking. Mrfei -sm , “ Now he is not the very picture pi 
your bay ? ” We visited the celebrated Jose Cubero, 
wh©; isMthe maker of the Malaga terra-cotta images pi 
then Spanish characters in national costume. These 
images-are admirably painted. TV © purchased several, 
bnt'They! dare/.’expensive, here, and in England and 
America are very costly. We were acoostedby a priest,' 
who rang a* bell and held a small box in his band-for 
alms; h! On asking iwhat-the objects of his solicitation 
we were informed 1 that a murderer was to be 
garrotted the next day, and the good padre was taking 
tip alms id: pay tor his,funeral masses. ■i Such is -Popery 
in f Bpafatfit They can mpray:a soul Outof purghtory •/’ 
bdt f uWen-this poor murderer, must bring iish to the 
pideePd nfetal laom -,j{j uri/ >nf - u ;•* foi-nfi; *11 
.« We now-went to the bull-ring, an immense i amphi¬ 
theatre] capable of holding-ten thousand persons. Wo 
were taken into the apartments where the animals were 
kept, i; Saw one in liis>prison-house^—the implements 
of torture* the saddles, &c/ A great bull-fight came 
off a week before our arrival. Wc visited the church of 
the martyrs, a line building, but had no time to ex¬ 
amine its-interior as "I ^could have wished. We were 
sadly fatigued with.a*heat perfectly tropical. >H \f . 

"~ Among i our. i visitors t from this , town- was the Bev, 
Charles Brereton, the English chaplain, and his family.; 
withduiu T had a pkasank inteiwiew; and, on landing, 
I ifbund he had kindly stilt his Secretary to render me 
any aid in making myinvay.- Mr. .Brereton preaches 
regularly-' !at ithe house of dho English consul, Mn 



REV. CHARLES BRERETON. 189 

Marks, who was now absent. But his excellent mo¬ 
ther, a fine old lady, whose husband established divine 
service in his consulship, came on board. From the 
chaplain I lean that about one hundred English Pro¬ 
testants reside here, and eight hundred and fifty British 
sailors come into port during the three months of vin¬ 
tage ; and then there are many American seamen and 
visitors. About three hundred British travellers visit 
Malaga every year. Mr. Brereton and Mr. Marks 
have succeeded in getting a beautiful cemetery for the 
use of Protestants, and the way in which it is planted 
and adorned is an honor to them and all who have 
aided them. A more befitting spot for the worn-out 
pilgrim at the end of life’s journey I have seldom seen. 
This was the first burial-place granted to Protestants 
in Spain. Now an effort has been made to secure one 
in Madrid • but the Bishop of Barcelona has fiercely 
denounced the measure, and he is unwilling to allow 
religious rites at the grave. 

Amongst other pleasant things, this Catholic bishop 
says, “ The desired of the nations, God, and true 
man, conversed with men, and formed his church. 
He placed in it as his vicar the most high Pontiff, 
centre of unity, rector, doctor and universal master. 
Whoever is not with him is not in the church; and 
whoever has not the church for mother has not God for 
Father. Without the necessity of prolix explanations, 
what is a Protestant? An unfortunate, a bastard, 
without father or mother, and consequently without 
God.” 

I hope, if any Americans visit Malaga, they will call 
on Mr. Brereton, who seems imbued with the spirit of 
his office, and is a liberal Christian man. He resides 
here on account of his health, and speaks loudly in 
praise of the climate. I think a winter here must be 
pleasant for the invalid. Having received in the 
morning an invitation to visit the vineyard of a wealthy 
Spanish gentleman, we took carriages and drove some 




190 


CALECIIES AND DRIVERS. 


three miles into the country. The vehicles hired were 
ealeches, and held four persons. Besides several ot 
these, we had a gig that held two, and the driver sat 
on the side. 0, how much of amusement would that 
procession have created in Broadway ! I did not ima¬ 
gine that such carriages and such drivers could be 
obtained in such a city as Malaga. The man who 
drove one caleclie positively resembled a baboon. He 
might have been an importation from Abyla, the ape’s 
mountain. His face was the most shrivelled-up affair 
I ever saw,—of a tawny-red color, with an awful grin,— 
whilst his arms and legs were in perpetual spasmodic 
motion. The harnesses were exceedingly rude. The 
head-stalls run down to an iron nose-piece, of semi¬ 
circular form, a half-inch wide, strapped over the nose, 
and having in it two rings ; from the outside one of 
which a rein passes to the driver, and from the inside 
one of which a rein is attached to the corresponding 
ring of the mate in a double team. The nose-piece 
answers the purpose of a bit. The team is guided by 
single reins. Through the pole, about a foot from its 
outer end, is an iron pin projecting its extremities some 
four or five inches; outside this pin is a layer of three 
or four strands of half-inch rope, folded around and 
then twisted together so as to bring it snugly against 
the backing-pin, and thence separated to run through 
supports on the collar, and thence to large rings in 
the breeching, which is of leather, and three inches 
wide. 

Our ride out of the city was very pleasant, but 
we were jolted over the worst road I ever travelled; 
leaving Welsh ones with a character of comparative 
goodness. We passed an acqueduct, and here for the 
first time saw the prickly-pear in its gigantic form, mak¬ 
ing an impenetrable boundary hedge. It was now covered 
with its yellow fruit, which we did not think as palat¬ 
able as did the urchins of Malaga, who were munching 
it at every corner. We now realized that we were in a 


191 


ride to mr. ‘deltus’, at teutinos. 

tropical climate, for on every side we saw the agave, or 
| American aloe, and in several instances had the gratifi¬ 
cation of looking at its towering, spear-like blossom. 
A ride of about three or four miles brought us to the 
charming habitation of Edward Delius, Esq., a mer¬ 
chant of Malaga, The name of this estate, is, I think, 
Teutinos,. The house is an elegant summer residence, 
and the grounds were laid out in much taste imme¬ 
diately around it. I perfectly revelled in the show of 
geraniums, myrtles, ranunculuses and oleanders. At 
every turn we took in these grounds we met with orange 
and lemon trees in full blossom, and the fig in several 
varieties. The vineyard occupies about fifty acres ; and 
here we found the delicious muscatel just ripening, and 
picked its noble clusters from the scrubby vines. The 
prospect from these gardens of the city is very fine; and, 
as the cathedral loomed up in the evening sky, and beyond 
it were the blue waters of the Mediterranean, and the 
dark Moorish castle and its battlements frowning over all 
around, we thought that we could spend more time 
with our kind host very agreeably; but we were 
obliged to take leave. In walking to our carriage, I 
observed that Mr. Delius had some Durham cattle on 
his place, and they looked in good condition. 

On our return we rode through the Alameda, which 
is well shaded by fine trees, and under which the pretty 
women were using their fans most bewitchingly. This 
spot is adorned with statuary and fountains. At e 
walked through the Zacatin, a sort of bazaar. It has 
some good shops, and the buildings are supported by 
columns. We resumed our carriages and drove round 
the mole, and had a fine view of the vast Moorish 
castles, Gibralfaro, and the ruins of Alcazaba, which 
crown the overhanging mountain. The soldiers were 
just marching up the zig-zag road to relieve guard for 
the night. The costume of the muleteers who come 
into town with mules and asses, and are numerous, is 
very picturesque. The gay handkerchiefs, and richly- 




192 


HARBOR OF MALAGA. 


buttoned jackets, and heavy leather leggings, make 
quite a figure; and Jose Cubero has immortalised them 
in his capital statuettes. I am sure we all felt indebted 
to the friendly attentions of Mr. Consul Smith ; and it 
was with reluctance that we were obliged to decline the 
friendly proposals of our more public entertainment the 
next day. At about eight o’clock we mustered our 
party, and, shaking hands with our kind Malaga friends, 
we rowed off to the North Star. 

No place have I ever seen to which the approach is 
more impressive. The back-ground of mountains is 
superb, and the outline of the city at the w ater-edge is 
very pleasant. No winter is experienced at this place, 
and the air is balmy. We all thought that we had 
never breathed so freely as whilst anchored in this 
charming harbor; and I really think our sympathies 
with those who suffer from quarantine will always be 
abated, in consequence of our delightful recollections 
of the days of our embargo off Malaga. This harbor 
can receive four hundred merchantmen and twenty 
ships-of-the-line, and is accessible in all winds, and 
affords complete shelter to shipping. 

~i>fh Hr* *i bfi<‘ 'fmtAl it m fc-nhtfl u -« •- :>< >(k 
-lyliU-ij/ to tod’Oid ]•■*>({ orit it •!>( • i , ii i. 
b-igiifio )V)W ■>v tud yiiio ot b^xmcd fi) 

fet nottalijqGq aifil Jdgie a dnw ea/l ,i ( i- m • *<• 
o&’iaJ- vTill ■tiisS'iff ,gimiu70 eul J .bita^ituilr d; , 
nrl.frit'l i>>/.t biiij 'fjio (]|i if t (•', M U>-# 

“fiip vi otin ‘jinn’ a • »n jiuniJob t &:> 1 il^j ;.i( > , v 

i\ nw 4 t/lgh Hid t si auliiH oipfJ ba^iKT j/ >1; 7 / 
ffj'ioii >d j idl /it 7/a oiod mull but, , 
igcola IIA nu/oe tuode e*» /j in i-(-- 

• -biitul "hiifb sci j* xio ev/wcxi-ibii w b-i / i *■»// 
oidm-.ui '/ a Lsldurjen doidw a <i>'i & l*•■>**.t\a | >f , 
him io$ Tancwsd v/>>n •,// 

'■an to «tjj /‘mil r :uu7Lil,8slun ->n\ ijj >daTk> >Oi r L« t >?; 
a on£ v . 0 \jnuiiio?. v i 4 ) / t .{| * >-»*. r ■ 

rcdflojOUK*'1 trqiffi ot biL:4r*i cvwosti/xQ -ail gtt gp 


a it f. H 


193 


ti Inn. 

jf.ol 1 >uj; • -JC ;•! n -jJlIJp 

r )Ji )Ui>U(t litMqua &.d m 
<iu >i Iffi. - /Iln!;rit >|f r oj 

1 )i ij > 'ill;; t tl/fj i ii Fl// 


CHAPfEE XV. ■'T '"' 1 

iT.;ojTu Tn^T'i jijoOi; Ji. . £«i> J/9ii 

lJM >■ •' 11 -iij.fi iMti,liui; «y)umj 

OPP POE LEGHORN— CABTHAGBNA— XVICA—MAJORCA—MINORCA—COB- 

T ■ • irn n. Trr>T. 77 /(.n >h 

SICA — SCENERY — GORGONA — LEGHORN—HOTBL ST, MARCO—FREE 

POET — OPEEA — SCOTCH PBEB CHURCH— SBEYICE ON SABBATH — 

■ ■ mi I ! fi*c mimi aTofn 

STREETS ADMIRABLY PAVED—EVENING SERVICE—THB PARSONAGE- 

-.i #■>-1 Uf M 3UJ Ji. /IP> u. m ‘MfiTJII!) MiMUUj .(.mcfljij 

HOUSE—GOSPEL IN ITALY. 

' !>• MI U! Ij/ I rii *1 U11I H (>/. , /t‘37 

J I I j I I / fl li a •. 

August 2. —At half-past nine p.m., we steamed off 
for Leghorn; standing out from the light about fite 
miles, and making a direct course for Cape de Gat, and 
running in very close to the Spanish coast. Wednes¬ 
day, the 3d, we had fine views of the grand and moun¬ 
tainous shores; which, however, under a scorching 

Carthag 

the afternoon. It lies in a deep basin, and is well shel¬ 
tered, having one of the best harbors of the Mediter¬ 
ranean Sea. We longed to enter, but we were obliged 
to content ourselves with a sight. The population is 
about thirty thousand. This evening, we saw fifty-three 
sail at once from our deck, and met two British 
steamers. Our lightest clothing now came into requi¬ 
sition. We next passed Cape Palos in full sight, with 
its square tower, and then bore away for the north 
coast of Ivica, distant about seven miles. All along 
its shores we observed watch-towers on the chief head¬ 
lands, and passed a rock which resembled a venerable 
cathedral. We now bore away for Majorca, and coasted 
it at a distance of about five miles, having a fine view of its 
grand shores. The scenery is very romantic; and, 
from the Drogonera Island light to Cape Formenton, 


August 
ing Cap 


sun, looked brown and barren enough. Round- 
e de Gat, we made for Carthagena, the new 
e of the Romans. We were off this nlace in 




194 


LEGHORN. 


the voyage was one of exquisite enjoyment. The sea 
was of glassy smoothness, and off to our right one long 
succession of ever-changing beauty for about fifty miles. 
The hills are some of them most tastefully formed, their 
peaks lancet-shaped, and the summits of many are 
tipped with snow. The slopes of these mountain ranges, 
which appear to be volcanic, are luxuriant vineyards, 
and inland the island is very productive; its exports 
are grapes and oranges. In the evening, late, we passed 
off Minorca, and saw its lighthouse, on the north¬ 
eastern coast. The wind rose during the night, and 
the 5th was a rough day, the sea quartering upon us, 
and raking from the Gulf of Lyons. During the night 
the ship rolled. In the early morning, we were off the 
coast of Corsica, made Cape Bidellata, and crossed the 
Gulf of Eiozenzo. The sun rose gloriously behind the 
mountains. We then passed Giraglia revolving light, 
and on close to the small island of Gorgona, so famous 
for its anchovies. We now made direct line f n r Leg¬ 
horn, and anchored in its harbor August 6th, at 
two, P.M. 

The appearance of this city is fine from the water, 
and its fortifications and grand Lazaretto give it a very 
imposing aspect. We were boarded by a health officer, 
and ordered on shore, where we soon had our passports 
put in order, and were allowed to land, Mr. Binda, our 
consul, becoming our security. 

Here are two large basins, which are shut up at 
night by a chain and boom, and the entrance is strongly 
guarded by important fortresses. The mole extends 
almost a mile seaward, is a favorite promenade, and, 
running out parallel with the sea, forms the harbor. 
The lighthouse stands upon a rock, and is a pretty 
feature in the view of the town. We went immediately 
to the St. Marco Hotel, kept by Mr. Smith, an Eng¬ 
lishman. We found this a very well-conducted estab¬ 
lishment, with spacious rooms, and an excellent table. 
The walls are covered w r ith pictures, and some are quite 





































































































































































OPERA—SCOTCH FREE CHURCH. 


195 


good ones. After dinner, we walked out, made a few 
purchases, and found all articles of clothing as cheap 
as we could desire. This is a free port, and the stores 
are admirably supplied with English and French goods. 
We went to a cafe, and, after having partaken of some 
capital cream and water ices, were surprised at find¬ 
ing how trifling the charge was made for them. Some 
members of the party attended the opera, and the per¬ 
formance was Semiramis. They returned much pleased, 
and reported the soprano, contralto, barytone and bass 
voices, as very superior, and the choral and orchestral 
performers more efficient than they had found in Lon¬ 
don or Paris. The house, they said, was elegantly fitted 
up, and they judged the audience was about two thou¬ 
sand. There are five rows of boxes—in all, one hun¬ 
dred and thirty-six; the Grand Ducal one elegantly 
furnished. The box-fronts are painted in illustration 
of Greek and Koman history. The drop-curtain bears 
a fine representation of Caesar’s triumphant entry into 
Pome. 

The Sabbath day, August 7, was a delightful day. 
At our breakfast we had a fine supply of figs and 
peaches. After breakfast several of our party took 
the railroad for Florence. I remained to pass the day 
in Leghorn, and inquired my way to the Scotch Free 
Church. I was delighted to find so good a building. 
It is one of the neatest chapels that I ever worshipped 
in. It is a model church, for its' size, and will accom¬ 
modate, I should think, about three hundred persons. 
Elegance and taste are apparent in every arrangement; 
and, though destitute of any gaudy ornaments, it is 
rich and noble in appearance, and would do no dis¬ 
credit to a palace, for a monarch’s private chapel. I 
heard a capital sermon,—really an eloquent one,—from 
a gentleman who is supplying Dr. Stuart’s pulpit dur¬ 
ing his visit to Scotland for the benefit of his health. 
After service, I went into the vestry and library, and 
spoke to the clergyman. He warmly pressed me to 


196 


LEGHORN—POPERY. 


take the evening service, and this, too, was urged by 
Mr. Henderson, a leading member of the church; and, 
on my consenting, we were invited to take tea in the 
evening after sermon. I found a noble library belong¬ 
ing to Dr. Stuart, and a capital library for parish use. 

Leghorn is a well-built city, and the best paved one 
that I ever saw. The streets are 'wide, paved with 
granite blocks about three feet long, fifteen inches wide 
and six inches in depth; they are very solid and even, 
and are laid in cement, the surface being chiselled to 
accommodate horses. The streets were really crowded 
all day: the people well dressed, and having a happy, 
contented air. In the evening, I noticed that the opera 
was open. After preaching at the Scotch kirk, we 
followed the Rev. Mr. Cicely and Mr. Henderson, the 
banker, into the parsonage, which is under the same 
roof as the chapel. At the tea-table we met a very 
learned Swiss clergyman, the Rev. Dr. Schaffter, who 
has travelled much in the East, declined several pro¬ 
fessors’ chairs in Prussia, and is nowexpectingto labor as 
a missionary in Canada. Mrs. Choules presided at the 
tea-table, and we had a long session, dawdling, as Dr. 
Johnson called it, over our cups of tea. Mr. Cicely 
showed us over the spacious manse, which is by far the 
handsomest parsonage I have seen. The rooms are 
large, the ceilings lofty, and every part of the house 
commodious. The drawing-room is very elegant, with 
inlaid floor; and all the stairways are wide, and of the 
finest workmanship. 

I would not omit to say that a small but interesting 
Sabbath-school is in connection with this place of wor¬ 
ship. It is pleasant to know that pure evangelical 
truth is here proclaimed, even amid the black darkness 
of Popery; and I was glad of an opportunity to preach 
the gospel in Italy, and there to join in prayer with 
God’s people, that He would soon overturn the Man 
of Sin, who, impiously placing himself in the seat of 
the Almighty, lays claim to infallibility. But God 


MR. HENDERSON—TOMB OP SMOLLETT. 197 

declares that he will not give his glory to another; and 
Popery, by this fatal assumption of a divine attribute, 
has tied around her neck the apocalyptic millstone, 
which is at last to sink her to the bottomless abyss. 
Mr. Henderson is a Scotch gentleman, who has long 
resided here; he is an emnient merchant and banker, 
and has a mercantile house in Liverpool and Canada. 
He sent the first export of marble to New York, and a 
small quantity overstocked the market. Now every 
ship from Leghorn carries out vast quantities of marble 
from the quarries of Carrara. I was delighted with the 
general character of this excellent man, and much re¬ 
gretted my inability to visit him at his villa in the 
country. Mr. Henderson was as kind as possible, and, 
on our return from Plorence, proffered me very friendly 
letters of credit to his correspondents at Pome and 
Naples. In the English burying-ground at Leghorn 

is the grave of Tobias Smollett, the novellist. 

-nq \i, >) < bin: ' . nil re* ibrmi b.'ib-roi *r,n 

-r To id i rrnii jooqx'rworf nr brri:,r.b »nT ni Vfoagot 

ulf ii. bnbig'fjn ^ohiod) .ml/!. fibcunD nr /rnirorf *hns 

,7* i •'_(: (!)//<.!, .tlOWri')?. L 00 l B br,f{ 077 hflR ^JdB't-BOt 

v, m.) ,i\f. not to anm ino t wo ,tr bolfm nos tidbit 
»iif 7 i;l /(I >i rfoiii// fmoiouqg orlt to/o an bovrofb 

on? ?\w ot nil .rroog o/ad I 9^«no87cq Igonjoabnud 
v«nd oiO h. hr.q 7707o bnr, <vt1of e^nilfeo srft 
ifti n .Jin _ ifv /I >7 ''i iiTOOi jpbwinh ofIT omoihorrimoa 
or! I to bin; jin u oib g/uvnifite orit He brifi f ioofi bififnt 

qiilanfifnirow bond 

^nib-n no rjfd Hr. m* i» imi) yi’,8 ot trrno ton blwo/r 1 
o »// to urdq Hilt ilii// rrmtooiittoo ni loodog-dtnddfi8 
jir.'ii .;.;fr r i otijq Hilt v/rmd ot tflfigEfdq ?.r ti .qr 6& 
d'jjjid nit bifiTB ro/a .bornifilooYq aiad *b jftrnt 
fioiioiq ot /timjJioqqo tu> to bnfg 2 i»w l bins j yqoqoH lo 
ifj ry/ i /in q nr woj, ot jmdt bnu .visfl iti loqgo^ odt 
ru,l/ y,I) /nut'iavo noog hlnovr all ti.dt ^Iqoiq g'bof) 
to tnog uii) ni tlogmid nniaelq vfguorqmr .odw e ui<5 to 
bond jail . /ttlrdillifriii ot utibIo ayal p/id^iimA ant 


193 


itoua namnoT) iiw/noa Jj/ijs iryunn t>nr> ,iu^jhi n<»ni 
•ao^jbfuf m) to 39orri;la 3iJ unr/ns /vmU imtj# 

CHAPTER XVI. 

ARRIVE AT FLORENCE—HOTEL D’lTALIE—RIDE—CITY AND STREETS, ETC. 
PITTI PALACE—PICTURES—CANOVA’s VENUS—DUKE’S APARTMENTS 
—MUSEUM—POWERS AND HART—POWERS* STUDIO AND HIS WORK— 
HART’S STUDIO—BUSTS OP AMERICANS—STATUE OF HENRY CLAY— 
UFFIZII GALLERY — STATUARY — TRIBUNE—VENUS DE MEDICI — 
KNIFE-GRINDER, ETC.—TITIAN’S VENUSES — RAPHAEL’S PICTURES, 
ETC.—NIOBE—RUBENS — POWELL’S DE SOTO, ETC. — CATHEDRAL- 
CAMPANILE—BAPTISTERY—SANTO CROCE—CHAPEL OF THE MEDICI 
—ST. LORENZO—SACRISTY—MICHAEL ANGELO’S DAY AND NIGHT— 
PALAZZO VECCHIO—DUCAL PIAZZA—STATUARY. 

, //(>1 11 > $ I tlij • t i • f i* jiff Ik 7 jsj:.K lHIfi?I"»fl It r-iiiiiu 

On Monday, we took the rail for Florence, and greatly 
enjoyed the journey, which lies through a beautiful 
region, giving proof of careful cultivation. The fields 
are small, and almost everywhere divided olf by elms, 
mulberry and plum trees; and these trees are grace¬ 
fully festooned with vines laden with grapes. We 
found the depot at Florence situated in the Cascine, 
which is the Hyde Park of this city. On our way 
hither we had frequent and beautiful sights of the 
Arno, and saw some charming villas perched on the 
eminences above its waters. 

On our arrival, we found that Mr. Vanderbilt had 
politely sent a messenger to conduct us to our quarters, 
which were provided at the Hotel d’ltalie, kept by 
Signor Baldi; and here Mr. V. and his own family 
were also established. Our elegant apartments looked 
out upon the Arno, and upon the iron balcony into 
which our windows led we passed many pleasant hours 
watching the fishermen, who stood up in the water 


FLORENCE—ITS STREETS, ETC. 199 

breast-high, casting a net, which looked like a balloon, 
and which they elevated every few minutes. The fish 
appeared very small, and not as large as smelts. The 
prospect beyond the river was exceedingly fine; height 
upon height, and church and convent crowning each 
eminence, and then giving us glances of the bridges. 
That balcony will long live in our memories, and I 
commend the apartments in the rear of the Hotel 
d’ltalie, to all wayfarers. 

I always commence a new city by a ride through its 
streets, that I may have a general comprehension of the 
“ lay of the land.” I was at once satisfied, with a 
rapid survey, that Rogers had not overcharged its 
character. 

This city, which deserves its appellation, the fair, 
is situated in a beautiful valley at the base of the 
Apennines. It is nearly six miles in circumference, 
almost oval in its plan, and its population is about one 
hundred thousand. Many of the streets are narrow, 
but there are several very fine ones. The squares do not 
please me as much as those in other cities. The great 
feature of the city is the picturesque Arno, which, 
shallow in the summer, becomes a swollen stream in 
winter, from the rain and snows of the mountains. The 
palaces are numerous, and very imposing in their ap¬ 
pearance. Some are built of massive stones, in a rus¬ 
tic style of architecture. The walls of the city are in 
good preservation, and two or three of the eight gates 
are very handsome. The pavement is composed of 
broad flag-stones, and these, as in Leghorn, are chiselled 
to save the horses from slipping. All around the city 
are delightful gardens and fertile meadows. The four 
bridges which span the Arno are all fine ones; but 
the bridge of the Trinity is regarded as the most beau¬ 
tiful one in Europe, The old bridge has a covered 
way, and on each side are jewellers’ shops, or stalls. 
All around the city are hills covered with villas, churches, 
convents, olive-trees, and vineyards. 




200 PITTI PALACE—PICTURES. 

Our first visit was made to the Pitti palace, which 
is the present ducal residence. It was built by Luke j; 
Pitti, who intended to rival the Strozzi palace. A j 
reverse of fortunes caused it to pass from him while j 
yet unfinished.; and, in 1559, it came into possession of f 
the Medici family. 

Although this palace is heavy in its appearance, 
owing to the massive rustic style, yet it is a most ! 
admirable royal habitation. Every part of the palace ; 
is spacious, and adapted to its purpose. I found every- ! 
thinginthat order which indicated care and preservation, j 
The entrance is by a corridor and stairway of noble 
dimensions. The great attraction is the treasure of art 
which is here to he found, both in sculpture and 
painting. The arrangement of the apartments deserves 
praise; and, as in the gallery at the Hermitage, the 
spectator is provided with sofa, chair and lounge, for 
his comfort while enjoying this wondrous collection. 
The pictures at present number nearly five hundred and 
fifty; and this gallery embraces the treasures of the 
Medici family, and the two last dukes have lavished 
vast sums in additions from the churches and monas- 
tries of Tuskany. The apartments take their names 
usually from the subjects of the gorgeous frescos which 
adorn the ceilings. Thus the halls of Venus, of Mars, 
of Saturn, &c., are all adorned with allegorical de¬ 
scriptions of the virtues of the Cosmo family. The 
pictures which are world-renowned must not be criti¬ 
cized by the ignorant. Put I may mention those which 
pleased me best, and have made a lasting impression 
upon my mind. 

Let me name the portraits first. I regard the Pope 
Julius II., by Raphael, as the grandest portrait I ever 
looked upon. The duplicate in the Uffizii is, fine as 
it is, another tiling. I have seen nothing to compare 
with it but a portrait in St. Petersburg, to which, I 
think, I have alluded. Next, I liked Vandyke’s Car¬ 
dinal Bentivoglio, which no living painter can equal. 














PITTI PALACE—PICTURES—SCULPTURES. 201 

Two portraits by Raphael, of a female and her husband, 
are wonderfully effective. The Leo X., by Raphael, 
does not strike me so pleasantly. The picture lacks 
ease, and the grouping of the three figures is con¬ 
strained. The head of Grotius, by Rubens, is full of 
energy. A portrait of Philip II., by Titian, is a life¬ 
like picture; it is all but living. An old man, by 
Titian, is a wonderful execution. Some writers call it 
a Rembrandt. 

The Madonna della Seggiola brought us all to stand 
and admire. I have seen good copies all over the world, 
but they lose their charm after seeing so much of hea¬ 
venly beauty and earthly sweetness as this glorious 
work of Raphael exhibits. After leaving this, I lin¬ 
gered longest over a small picture—Ezekiel’s Vision— 
by Raphael. This is strangely beautiful. God, the 
Rather, appears in celestial glory, surrounded by che¬ 
rubs, his arms supported by genii, and resting on the 
ox, lion and eagle. And here, too, is an angel wrapt 
in adoration. Everything is easy, free, and the eye is 
fastened on the canvas of this remarkable picture. The 
Fates, by Michael Angelo, is a very striking picture, 
and pleased me more than it does the critics usually. 
It is also ascribed to Rosso Fiorentina. Titian’s Mag¬ 
dalen is hardly a penitent, but is perfect beauty. Two 
Marine Views, by Salvator Rosa, are exceedingly fine. 
A St. mark, by Fra. Eartolemeo, is a grand effort. The 
Murder of Abel, by Andrea Schiavone, has a sweet bit 
of landscape, and is a picture richly deserving of careful 
study; this is in coloring very like Titian. I dare not 
omit Guido’s Cleopatra, of which I obtained a copy; 
and also one of the Madonna in the chair on ivory. In 
a saloon of this palace stands the famous Venus of Ca- 
nova. I have rarely ever had my expectations so raised 
as in reference to this sculpture. I was entirely dis¬ 
appointed, although Canova was the artist, and his 
statue is renowned. The attitude is forced, unnatural, 
and next to impossible. The head cannot be turned oft 








202 


MUSEUM—HIRAM POWERS. 


at such an angle without doing a violence to the mas¬ 
toid muscle, which precludes the idea of ease and com¬ 
fort. No being can direct the head as the Venus does, 
without producing a distortion of the muscle. That 
which is not natural cannot be beautiful. The finish i 
is fine, but everything is over-done, too labored, and 
that evidently. The private rooms of the palace were j 
shoAvn us, and they are very magnificent. The floors ; 
are richly inlaid, and the ceilings exquisitely frescoed. I 
The apartments are filled with tables of the costliest 
character, and the doors are many of them of exquisite 
workmanship and design. 

From this place we repaired to the Museum. This 
is eminently adapted to the use of medical students, as 
some fifteen or twenty rooms are filled with wax pre¬ 
parations, illustrative of anatomy and morbid appear¬ 
ances of the human system, and several rooms are de¬ 
voted to natural histoiy. The representations of the 
human body are entirely life-like, and the descriptions 
of the progress of the plague upon the patient are terri¬ 
fically minute. The plague desolated Florence in 1348, 
and more than forty-five thousand fell as victims. 

Mr. Vanderbilt’s family having pressed him to favor 
them by sitting to our honored countryman, Mr. 
Powers, he called at his studio, and made arrangements 
for a bust; and at the same time Mrs. Vanderbilt was 
requested by her sons-in-law to sit to Mr. Hart. 

Our visits were frequent to the studios, and we had 
much pleasure in examining the charming productions 
of the chisels of our distinguished countrymen. I 
couple these gentlemen together, because, though 
Powers is the sculptor of the world, and is the fore¬ 
most artist of the age, still Mr. Hart has distinguished 
genius, and, with the opportunities now afforded him 
to make his countrymen know him, will soon obtain 
their highest plaudits. Powers is a glorious, noble 
creature; he is a man to look upon, and his eye is the 
finest that I know of, since death closed those orbs of 







MR. hart’s studio. 203 

light around whose flashes was sometimes thrown a terri¬ 
ble darkness,—eyes which this great artist will soon at- 
> tempt to place forever in his country’s gaze. On every 
' side Powers has forms of beauty ; but 1 am jealous of 
1 the labors of such a man, when appropriated by indivi- 
' duals; he should work only for cities, states and the 
3 Union. Talents like those granted to Powers should 
5 be devoted to the adornment of our national buildings, 

■ our halls of science, our great squares. I regard Powers 
as a true object of American pride. If he died to-mor¬ 
row, his fellow-citizens all over the Union would lament 
his loss ; every newspaper would exult in recapitulating 
the wonderful works of his genius; but how few of 
these would be found on the high places of his oountry, 
to incite and stimulate the talent of the American 
youth ! Some female heads in his studio are very 
beautiful, and I was much struck with an exquisite 
bust just completed of Mrs. Penniman, of New York. 
His heads of the great men were very noble representa¬ 
tions; but I was far less pleased with that of Webster than 
with many of the others. Clay, Calhoun, Cass, Eve¬ 
rett and Winthrop, are all that can be asked; but 
Webster is not sufficiently massive. I doubt not that 
the great work just placed in Mr. Powers’ hands will 
be his chef-d'oeuvre, for he will make it, I know, a work 
of love. It is certain, when he has seen the latest re¬ 
presentations of the great statesman, that he will send 
to Massachusetts a statue worthy to be placed near to 
Chantrey’s favorite one of Washington. 

In Mr. Hart’s studio, which is elegant and spacious, 
I was delighted with his heads of Wicklifte, Cass and 
Crittenden. Governor Crittenden’s bust is, I think, 
as perfect a realization of the man and his character as 
was ever chiselled out of marble. I could almost say 
to it, “ Now utter words of wisdom,—or a joke.” It 
does all but speak. The great work on which Mr. 
Hart is employed is a statue of Mr. Clay, for the ladies 
of Virginia. The cast is completed, and is the only 








204 


UFFIZII GALLERY. 


likeness of the great man that ever quite satisfied my 
eye. Nearly every bust and picture is a likeness, ay, 
and unmistakeable ; but generally there is a coarseness 
which did not belong to the orator. Here the likeness 
is perfect, and yet the air and spirit is gentlemanly; 
the attitude cannot be improved. We all felt that we 
were only admiring the first appearance of a work of 
genius which will be sure to become the praise of the 
whole country. We saw the immense block from 
which the statue is to be created. How long will it 
be ere nature’s quarry shall again furnish us with other 
Clays, Calhouns and Websters ? At present, in lack 
of them, we are called to bow down to small lights, and 
moderate talents, and magnificent pretensions. I saw 
Hart at work; he, too, is a genius. He works easily; 
has a large heart, good head, is no pretender, but can, 
with confidence, point to his labor, and say, ** Look at 
it.”' I am sure his head of Mrs. Vanderbilt, in four 
sittings, was as complete a likeness as was ever 
moulded. Hart is about forty years of age, and his 
name will soon be one of the honored ones in the 
heraldry of American art. 

Mr. Powers’ efforts on Mr. V. we all watched with 
great interest. The artist was delighted with the head 
and figure, and he was engaged evidently con amove ; 
his subject sat charmed with the originality of his elo¬ 
quent conversation. If the result was not a perfect re- 
. presentation of a head of rare power and command, I 
am no judge, and we were all of us mistaken. Long 
as the marble lasts will that face evince its striking 
force and power, i - : ^ i * 

I shall never forget the day I entered the Uffizii gal¬ 
lery. It is to every man who makes his first visit a 
memorable day. The palace was commenced in 1560. 
It was built by Cosmo I., and is the noblest collection 
of statuary in Europe, if, perhaps, we except the Vati¬ 
can. The gallery was organized in 1765. Its two 
longest sides are five hundred and twenty-five feet long. 









THE TRIBUNE—SCULPTURES AND PAINTINGS. 205 

and thirty-five in breadth. On one side there is a vast 
| number of windows, to afford proper light in the gal- 
; leries ; all these apartments are lofty, and adorned with 
i rich trescos. The statues and busts of the Roman 
; Emperors are exceedingly rare and valuable; and here 
? are those of Agrippa, Otho, Caligula and Nerva. A 
f vast many of these busts are indicative of brutal cha- 
• racter. 

I hurried through this gallery of marble, that at last 
I might enjoy the desire of my life, and stand in the 
Tribune. Was I disappointed at my entrance? No; 
the apartment itself is a fitting home for the rich trea¬ 
sures which it contains. The dome is radiant with 
mother-of-pearl, which is copiously inlaid, and the 
pavement is a mosaic of the costliest marbles, in the 
most tasteful forms. This is the holy place of art, and 
here sculpture and painting nobly contend for preemi¬ 
nence. And there is Venus:—men may talk and cen¬ 
sure long and severely : but, so long as the eye can find 
charms in beauty, so long will this marble find admi¬ 
rers. It is another thing than Canova’s, over in the 
other palace. The Scythian ordered to flay Marsyus, 
or, as some call him, the knife-grinder, is a long study. 
What wondrous knowledge of the frame the sculptor 
possessed ! It is life-like, and its details are as minute 
and truthful as are the pictures of Teniers or Ostade. 
The Appolino is the perfection of grace. The Wrestlers 
belong to the same class of art as the Knife-grinder or 
Scythian. The two Venus.es, by Titian, are paintings 
which do more to educate our taste for coloring in an 
hour, than a month’s survey of painted canvass, spread 
over acres of common galleries. The portrait of Julius 
II., grand as it is, does not strike me as at all equal to 
the one in the Pitti pa'ace; both are by Raphael. The 
Eornarina did not come up to my anticipations, after 
seeing it engraved. The two Holy Families, and John in 
the Desert, are holy, heavenly things. What are paint* 

T 









206 


PAINTINGS. 


ings worth but for the effects which they produce on those 
who see them ? What every one feels is nature, is truth, i 
The man who addresses human sympathies, and speaks | 
a language that his fellows comprehend, is beyond the 
paltry criticisms of the artists of this age. 

The Holy Family, of Andrea del Sarto, is as lovely 
a representation of maternal love as the gallery con¬ 
tains. I differ from many in relation to the Holy 
Family by Michael Angelo, called harsh, severe, rigid; 
the wretchedly bad taste in throwing in the back figures 
has done much to destroy its effect; but the drawing 
is masterly. A Madonna, by Corregio, adoring the 
child, is very lovely. A Charles V. on horseback, by 
Vandyke, is a noble picture. I was greatly pleased 
with the pictures of the Florentine school. A gallery 
of portraits of painters is interesting; and here are fine 
autograph portraits of Raphael, Perugino, Velasquez, 
Rubens, &c. In this room, I was struck with the 
Medicean Vase, which represents the sacrifice of Iphi- 
genia; it is very ancient, aud came from Greece, but 
was found at Adrian’s villa. The Hall of Niobe pre¬ 
sents these wondrous remains of antiquity,—statues 
supposed to be the work of Praxiteles. The Dying- 
Son is a death-like figure. In this saloon is a picture 
which I would walk far to see again,—Ruben’s Henry 
IV. at the Battle of Ivry. This is very fine, and the 
horse is one of almost unsurpassable beauty. 

This horse reminds me that I omitted to speak, in 
my records of Paris, that we were very kindly called 
upon by Mr. Powell, the distinguished artist, to invite 
the party to see his great picture ordered by Congress 
for the last vacant niche in the rotunda of the Capitol. 
The subject, as is well known, is the scene of de Soto 
taking possession of the Mississipi country. We were 
very much delighted with this grand picture ; and Mr. 
Vanderbilt, an admirable judge of a horse, regards 
the horse on which De Soto sits as the best he ever 







CATHEDRAL. 


207 


saw. In the same studio we saw some capital portraits 
of Lamartine, Hugo, Dumas, and other famous men of 
the day. 

I repaired again and again to these charming rooms, 
and spent hours of happiness, which will, I hope, prove 
fruitful of much future pleasure. 

My visit to the Cathedral was on a fine morning, 
when a high mass was in celebration, and about four 
hundred priests were in full canonicals and parade. Its 
foundations were laid, 1298, by Arnolfo, and the build¬ 
ing was designed to be between the pointed and ancient 
style. The walls on the outside are covered with 
colored marbles. Its length is four hundred and fifty- 
four feet; its elevation from the pavement to the 
summit of the cross three hundred and eighty-seven 
feet; the transept three hundred and thirty-four feet 
long, the nave one hundred and fifty-three feet high, 
and the aisles ninety-six and a half feet high. When 
Arnolfo died, in 1300, Giotto became the builder, in 
1331. He erected the facade and the campanile, 
which was his pet work. Up to the sixteenth century 
it was adorned with the best works of the great masters, 
especially of Donatello. In 1558, it was almost de¬ 
stroyed, to be rebuilt in modern style. In 1636, 
another facade was begun, but was abandoned; and 
now a more miserable-looking, unfinished stone front 
can hardly be seen; it looks all the worse by a com¬ 
parison with the splendour of the rest of the edifice. 
A popular notion exists that churches in Italy are kept 
in an unfinished state to avoid a tax to the Pope, 
which never commences until the completion of the 
edifice. In 1420, Brunelleschi was employed to con¬ 
struct the cupola. This architect studied at Home, 
and there projected what before was deemed impos¬ 
sible, namely, to unite the four naves of this great 
cathedral by throwing over them a spacious cupola. 
Although opposed by ignorance in high places and the 
selfishness of his rivals, yet he lived to complete his 

t 2 








208 CAMPANILE—ST. JOHN’S BAPTISTERY. 

design, with the exception of some outside work, lor 1 
which he left plans. This cupola is octagonal, one i 
hundred and thirty-eight feet six inches in diameter, 1 
and one hundred and thirty-three feet three inches in 
height from the cornice of the Duomo. Its greatest 
praise is that Michael Angelo made it his model when 
he erected the dome of St. Peter’s. This is the largest 
dome in the world. The exterior view from the south¬ 
east is most imposing, and here is seen the dome 
rising from the surrounding smaller cupolas. The 
dome is painted by Vassari and Zucclieri; the subjects 
are prophets, angels, saints, Paradise, and the figures 
are colossal. 

I felt gratified to see the graves of Giotto and Bru¬ 
nelleschi, who sleep in close neighbourhood. A David, 
by Donatello, is very fine; and an unfinished group in 
the rear of the high altar, of the Entombment of the 
Saviour’s body, by Michael Angelo, is so beautiful as 
to create regret that it was not completed by the great 
artist. It was in this duomo that Julian was mur¬ 
dered by the side of his brother, Lorenzo the Magni¬ 
ficent, in 1748. The general aspect of the church is 
fine and devotional. The Campanile, or tower for the 
bells, is the work of Giotto, and is a remarkable 
edifice; with all its altitude, it has but four stories. 
The architect intended to surmount the tower with a 
spire, and the piers are visible which were to support 
the erection. As a matter of course, we looked after 
Dante’s stone, where he was wont to gaze upon the 
growing wonder of the rising cathedral. Close by are 
the modern statues of Arnolfo and Brunelleschi. 

In front of the Duomo and Campanile stands the 
Baptistery of St. John. The bronze gates of this 
building are the chief supports of its fame. They 
must be wondrously beautiful to have caused Michael 
Angelo to say that they were fit to be the gates of 
Paradise. The south gate, designed by Giotto, was 
completed by Andrea Pisano in 1330, and its erection 







SANTA CROCE—CHAPEL OF THE MEDICI. 209 

was celebrated as a festival all through Tuscany. The 
northern and eastern gates were added in 1400-1422, 
by (rhiberti. The north gate illustrates the life of 
Christ, the south the life of John, and the east the 
events of the Old Testament. The Baptistery is an 
octagon, supporting a cupola and lantern. The wall 
was erected by Arnolfo, 1293. Vast figures ill mosaic 
adorn the dome, and the Lucifer of Dante appears in 
the frescos. All the baptisms of Florence occur here; 
and several of our party, at various visits, saw the 
ceremony of christening. / . i; ■ | 

From this place we turned our attention to the 
Westminster Abbey of this city,—Santa Croce. This 
wasi established by monks sent by St. Francis, 1212, 
and Arnolfo commenced this church 1294. The ex¬ 
terior is as rude as anything' can be in architecture, 
but the interior is grave and majestic. Here are the 
monuments of Michael Angelo^ Dante, Alfieri, by 
Canova; Michiavelli, Fossombroni, Alberti, Gralileo. 
A series of chapels are well worthy of careful notice, 
and in one is Bartolini’s exquisite monument to a Rus¬ 
sian princess. • i }' 84YJ in .trmft 

We had read and heard so much of the gorgeous 
Chapel of the Medioi, that we fully expected a treat; 
nor were we at all disappointed, although I do not 
think it has been marked by good taste. It was in¬ 
tended for the resting-place of the holy sepulchre. 
This chapel is far from completed. The walls are 
literally covered up with the richest specimens of 
marble, lapis-lazuli, jasper, chalcedony and Florentine 
mosaic, in which all the colors and shadings are natural 
to the stones employed. All the coats of arms of the 
Tuscan states and cities are ranged around, in mosaic 
work. Nothing can be more elegant than the cenotaphs 
of the Medici family. The bodies are in a crypt be¬ 
neath this chapel. Seventeen millions of dollars have 
been expended upon this sepulchral palace ! vibr/niT 
The church of St. Lorenzo, which dates from 1425, 






210 SACRISTY—MICHAEL ANGELO. 

has much that is beautiful; and this cannot fail to be 8 
the case where Brunelleschi designed and Donatello : 
adorned a building. The sacristy, or a small chapel, 8 
is the great attraction of this church. This small ! 
erection was designed by Michael Angelo to receive 1 
monuments for Lorenzo de Medici, the grandson of 1 
Lorenzo the Magnificent, and Giuliano de Medici, a 
son of the Magnificent. The monuments to these in- 
dividuals are in white marble, by Michael Angelo, and 
are regarded as his undoubted masterpieces. They 
have a strong characteristic resemblance, and are some¬ 
what enigmatical, as it is hard to tell what Day and I 
Night, Morning and Evening, have to do with these 
worthies. No satisfactory solution has been afforded; 
but there is the marble, and there, as long as that 
marble lasts, will men congregate to admire, and won¬ 
der at the near approach of sculpture to language. 

The figure of Lorenzo creates awe. He sits in 
armour, and he chains the eye. Poor, indeed, are 
most other statues after this has been seen. I do not 
like the chapel in which they stand ; each should have 
a Gothic sanctuary for its own sole occupation, of 
which it should be the shrine. 

I scarcely ever walked out but I found myself at¬ 
tracted to the Palazzo Yeccliio. This building was 
erected 1298, and was the dwelling-place of the Gon- 
faloniere. In 1540, when the republic died, it became 
the palace of Cosmo I. I know few buildings that can 
compare with it in dark, awful grandeur. The battle¬ 
ments are massive, and the overhanging machiolations, 
and the tower springing up from their support, give it 
an imposing air, such as I have seen nowhere else. 
All around are wonderful things. There, is an eques¬ 
trian statue of Cosmo I.; there, a fountain of Neptune. 
Near this fountain, in the days of the republic, stood 
the Tribune. Here is the glorious David of Michael 
Angelo; and there, as a match, is Hercules destroying 
Cacus, by Bandinelli. The David is far the finest, 







STATtJAItY. 


211 


and belongs to the same class of statuary with the 
Medicean statues just alluded to in the sacristy. Here 
are large porticos, which you ascend by steps, and in 
front a spacious square. On these porticos are some 
wonderful pieces of artistic excellence. There, at the 
corner, stands the Perseus of Benevenuto Cellini, the 
casting of which is so graphically recorded in his life* 
At the other end, as a match-piece, is the Rape of the 
Sabines, by John of Bologna. Judith slaying Holo- 
femes, by Donatello, is a pretty bronze, but small. 
Here are several colossal females, lions, &c. 
b/m n;< I tail// list ft bun! g l Ji JjoDGinnftJ) bsdw 
I' -.ii) illiv/ ob ot m\i\ a•*?.I bm> nnunoR /I 

; bdrudlr, H >id mil noili/lo- v;ioi tnDijJJg o/l .gair ow 
ir.ih gi nuol es .91 nil ddm/rt uIj n bul 

-now i>rii» /nimbi) of naut Ur// mni 

.oimirunal of innlii*>8 to doijmqqfi mail silt t.B lab 
fij eti- iff . i//a gotr.oia oxcrnoT to o*ririift oifT 


on; .br.iuir ,ioo‘i srn adj grunrb n( bfl» /uiqmifi 
ton ob 1 .fT 9 4 )? ifi a! end -nit rolls gout/ib’' mho i 3 om 

oyjul bbio/fg dona , b/mta y>d.t ifnrrl // m Pq/ulo orit odd 
Jo ( noiii;qi) 9 ao oloe ii/w y ti ’lot r/GJ/toimg oidloi) 1. 

.amide odt ad bluoilg .ti doiriw 
i-.tB l[ )P7fff bnifolt I tnd tno badlfiw lava ylaamoe 1 
pn ff uniblfitd gul l .orrfooa/ ossiJb' 1 silt ot 1)3 oj • 
-no.) nit to omiq-miilbv/b oiIt gBW bus babaT) 

omn-nd ti ,b*)ib olldjjqai odt mai n .04 I nl .ornnobd 
fina milt g'jiijJ)btt(l w >i wonJ i I onie/dJ to oo/dnq axil 
--jiJtv'.d Mfl I .Uj'it)fi<;ri 2 \ii\ytR .dmb (ti ti dir// amqxnoo 
,*nonr.loidsi.iu ftmim/ulTa/o *di bnu .oviaeimi am efaottt 
Ji o/»n .hoc rug nodi nurd qix BXiophiqe lav/ot axit bxixs 
,f„J, .Talwoif nao* o/cd ! an dona .lie ^niaoqmi xxn 
-*ai;p-» i - liaill gi’iJfdl IntTjinio// am bummi HA 
/jdid,. ,/. jo ifir.tinio’t r ,oT)dt ; I orngo ) ‘io aXibxle nan t 
.j[>oo.l* f ot'kftfq »*i odt 'to g/e!) adt fli .niiBnuot aid) "iiio/i. 
landod/ to |>r/i;(i erroholjj; ‘>ih ex ami I .oxindn 1 adl 
i. :ii /o'i i-r'J) - uo'iaH a dotam a ex> .omh bn a , oi v > 
r ujifi\ oilt ml «/ bimH axil jHmibwdl '(d 








212 


CHAPTER XVIL 

iiti' hub nil ‘Jilii ,Jn > /i;oo «ifii to 8>bfOIil oilT 

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA — PAINTINGS — SPEZIEEIA — RESIDENCE OE 

MICHAEL ANGELO—CHURCH OE THE ANNUNCIATION—THE CASCINE 

—SCENERY—MOUNTAINS—THE BRIDGES—ERIENDS IN FLORENCE— 

»^ >(if 

Oliver Cromwell’s portrait—impressions of Florence—leave 

* j 11 1 1 ir liit J i 4 ? i n * ) 1 1 1 // f ri > f v ' 11X 

FOR PISA—THE CITY—LEANING TOWER—CATHEDRAL—CAMPO SANTO 

THE BAPTISTERY —SANTA MARIA DELLA SPINA — THE CAMELS — 

LEGHORN—GOVERNMENT ALARMED AT OUR 't'ACHT—VISITORS, ETC. 

” m> - lu/ ‘ u1 ' 15 "//»•>’* w * n ” 

I must not omit a visit which we paid to the church 
of Santa Maria Novella, belonging to the preaching 
friars. They made a missionary effort here 1216, and 
ill 1222 had a small church, the ground of which is 
included within the confines of their noble convent. 
This is a large establishment, and comprises a church, 
two cloisters, several quadrangles, refectory, sacristy, 
chapter-house, &c. This edifice is a finished one. The 
grand facade was completed 1470, in Pisan style. The 
church was begun 1279. The campanile is a tower 
with a spire, which is Romanesque; but the church 
itself is Gothic, and is adorned with fine stained glass. 
The fresco of the choir is by Ghirlandio. In the 
arches of the roof are the four Evangelists, by Strozzi, 
which were finished 1583. Here, at the altar, 
is the famous Crucifix by Brunelleschi. In the 
Strozzi Chapel are frescos of Orgagna. A very famous 
picture is in this church by Cimabue. It is a Virgin 
and Child, on a gold ground. Vasari says it was ex¬ 
ecuted in a garden, and carried to the church in solemn 
procession, with the sound of trumpets. Several good 
monuments are to be seen; one of a Saint Villana, 
canonized in 1824, but whose sanctity is called in 
question ; she is sleeping in death, and two most beau¬ 
tiful angels are looking over her, bearing a scroll on 
which her epitaph is written. The sacristy is an ex- 





RESIDENCE OP MICHAEL ANGELO. 213 

quisite room, and has fine windows of painted glass. 
I The cloisters are filled with many works of art. The 
chapter-house contains a representation of the church 
militant and triumphant, and is curious enough; and 
also the triumph of the schoolman, Thomas Aquinas. 
The monks of this convent, like the shaking quakers, 
have an eye to profit, and they have long been famous 
for the preparation of medicines and essences; and a 
most beautiful establishment they have, called the 
Spezieria, which is fitted up in more style and ele¬ 
gance than any druggist’s store in London or Paris. 
VV e were interested in the place and the attendants, 
who are very polite; they seem to drive a thriving bu¬ 
siness. We brought away quite a quantity of their pre¬ 
cious perfumes. 

I felt unwilling to leave Florence without visiting the 
house in which Michael Angelo lived, and which, I 
understood, was full of his relics. We made the ne¬ 
cessary arrangements for admission, and repaired to 
the Via Ghibellina in which it stands. It is yet in 
possession of a descendant of this great man. The 
entire interior is preserved as in the time of the artist, 
and no one can doubt it on a survey. Much of the 
furniture remains as in his day. The apartments open 
from one to the other, and you meet with a step, down 
or up, in going from room to room. Here is a small 
saloon or gallery, the ten large panels of which illustrate 
the artists history. They were done by the best pain¬ 
ter’s of the age, and some of them as a work of love. 
One, Michael Angelo showing his plan of the library to 
Leo X., is very striking. Another, in reference to 
Solyman proposing a bridge at the Dardanelles, is im¬ 
pressive. In one room is his statue, by Novelli, and 
near it a Holy Family, in oil. It will be ;emeinbered 
that he only painted three easel-pictures. His actual 
studio we entered with reverence, and all around were 
the works of his hands,—sketches, bas-reliefs, &c. 
Here are his brushes, color-jars, and other articles of 






214 


CHURCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION. 


professional use. In one room we saw liis walking- 
stick, his cup, his slippers, and some finely-preserved 
letters,—his rosary, his writing-desk, &c. We were 
shown a crucifix given him by the Pope, containing a 
vast number of relics, set in small circles covered 
with glass. I remember here was a bit of the stone 
which was thrown at Stephen, a bit of the true cross, 
a stone from the grave of Lazarus, a morsel of the 
pillar of flagellation, and some twenty other equally 
precious pieces of papistical gammon. I was much 
pleased to see here the first marble sculptured by the 
artist,—a group in quarrel. To walk through the 
house of a man who was the favorite of seven Popes, 
who painted the last judgment, executed the Moses, 
and erected the dome of St. Peter’s, is an affair that 
furnishes food for thought, and demands the exercise oi 
one’s best affections. 

A hasty visit to the Church of the Annunciation 
showed me that it contained many beauties. The 
arches spring from columns. Here are many very good 
paintings; one by Andrea del Sarto, the Wise Men 
and the Star in the East, is full of beauty. The small 
chapels, are exceedingly costly, and abound in silver. 
A festival service was going on, and I did not like to 
injure the feelings of those who were devoutly engaged 
by any mere curiosity on our part. 

The Cascine, at Florence, was too renowned for the 
beauty of its drives and scenery not to have our atten¬ 
tion ; and we frequently rode to the Eoyal Farms, 
which the name signifies. All that art and wealth can 
effect by combination has been here effected; and the 
good Florentines have a place of enjoyment close at 
hand, on the banks of the Arno, which I tliiuk is un¬ 
surpassed in Europe, unless the Summer Islands of St. 
Petersburg furnish the exception. The drives are 
crowded by the rank and fashion of the city, and 
the roads are about one mile and a half long, and 
are double; and between them are plantations, grass- 


THE CASINE. 


215 


plots, preserves of game. In front of one of the 
duke’s buildings,—I think the dairy,—is the circus, 
where you find scores of carriages drawn up for rest, 
and where the afternoon high exchange of fashion is 
held. I have seldom seen more beautiful equipages 
than we passed on the Cascine. The views of the villas 
lying oft on the base of the mountain are enchanting. 
How any one can depreciate this ride and its sce¬ 
nery, I am at a loss to understand. Certainly, till we 
have any city that can approximate to the convenience 
and charm of this suburban region, we ought not to 
undervalue it, though it is not American. I shall ever 
remember the Cascine, its long range of hills, its sun¬ 
set hours, and its charming cottages, looking like dia¬ 
monds set in emeralds. I have been struck with the 
fertility of all the sides of the hills around. The up' 
rising terraces seem to embody a vast mass of vines. 
The leaves of the olive-trees, with their delicate light- 
green, serve to variegate the scenery, and the tree itself 
is quite ornamental. The summits of the mountains 
are nearly all crowned with chestnut woods, and every¬ 
where are villages perched upon what appears at a dis¬ 
tance an inaccessible spot. The chestnut is a source 
of great income to the inhabitants of these mountain 
ranges ; the fruit, made into meal, forms the principal 
food of the peasantry,—and they seem to thrive on it; 
for a nobler-looking race cannot easily be found. Sis- 
mondi speaks of the beauty of the women, and the 
clearness of their complexion, which probably arises 
from the simplicity of their fare. 

Our last ride in Florence was to the very top of the 
hill which formed the back-ground of our prospect in 
the rear of our hotel. We passed through the gates of 
the city, and drove some three miles up a road which, 
at every winding, gave us glorious glimpses of the 
beautiful city. At the summit we came to a convent, 
and from this point enjoyed the last rays of daylight 
on the Apennines. These hills reflect the sun’s rays 


216 BRIDGES—PORTRAIT OF CROMWELL. 

most brilliantly, and give a coloring to evening light 
which I have seen in no other place. From these 
eminences we had all Florence at our, feet.' It was one 
wide scene of grove, garden, pinnacle and tower ; and 
the river winding along through the Yal d’Arno, the 
fertile granary of corn, oil and wine. Go into the city, 
and there are all the treasures of art, both ancient and 
modern— 

“ The past 

Contending with the present." 

The bridges are all picturesque, but that of the Trin¬ 
ity, completed in 1569, is exquisitely beautiful. It 
has three arches, of which the central span is ninety- 
five feet three inches, and that of the side ones eighty- 
five feet six inches. The rise of the arch is one-seventh 
of the span, and the arches are slightly pointed. On 
this bridge are the statues of the Seasons. The 
length of the bridge is three hundred and twenty-three 
feet. 

In many little affairs of business I found great ser¬ 
vice from the politeness of Mr. Goodban, the English 
bookseller, who has a capital collection of the best en¬ 
gravings. We enjoyed much pleasure in meeting with 
Sir. and Mrs. White, of New York. Mr. White is 
pursuing his profession as a painter with enthusiasm, 
and has many fine works in his studio. In Florence 
we were happy to meet with Mr. Taylor Foot, of New 
Haven, to whose kindness we were indebted for many 
attentions. 

My last hasty visit was to the Pitti palace, to get ano¬ 
ther sight of its pictures, and especially to see the famous 
portrait of Oliver Cromwell, by Sir Peter Lely. The 
noble old Protector has his likeness in the" Tuscan 
palace ; but he is not yet to be seen in the royal galle¬ 
ries of the land he governed. But England will 
hereafter give him room, and perhaps place him, as 
Walter Savage Landor recently suggests, “ on a char¬ 
ger ” now occupied by “ a royal swindler, 1 


FROM FLORENCE TO PISA—PISA. 217 

I am pleased with this city; it is as orderly as 
any American town, and the people are well-dressed 
and happy. I have seen no case of intoxication; 
and, wherever I have been in a wine country, I have 
seen the people a sober one. There is nothing wanting 
to make this country a happy one, and its people a 
prosperous and contented population, but the existence 
ot civil and religious liberty; and this blessedness will 
yet be the lot of its inhabitants. The tradesmen of 
Florence are very civil, and I saw far fewer beggars 
than in Malaga. The clergy of all sorts, dressed in 
black, brown, gray and wdiite, are numerous in the 
streets; and they are decidedly a better-looking class 
of men than the Irish and French priesthood. 

We took the cars for Pisa, leaving our guide Sebas¬ 
tian, whom Mr. Vanderbilt engaged at Leghorn, to 
take charge of the luggage, and come on in a subse¬ 
quent train, which we were to join at Pisa, and all go 
back to Leghorn in company. 

The railroad passes through a level country, but in 
full sight of a lofty range of hills. This plain is ten 
or twelve miles wide, and covers the interval between 
the sea and the Monte Nero range, on which the wealthy 
men of Leghorn reside in summer. Every part of 
the road indicates good farming and a contented popu¬ 
lation. On every hand are ruined towers, which tell 
of other days, and remind us of the civil discords which 
have marked Italian history. 

Pisa is a fine large-looking city, with wide streets, 
and the houses many of them noble in appearance; but 
there are very few persons to be seen; and, instead of 
a population of nearly one hundred and twenty thou¬ 
sand, as it is said once to have had, there are hardly 
twenty thousand residents at the present time. The 
Arno runs through the city, and it is crossed by three 
fine bridges ; the central one is of marble. This is the 
seat of a university with a large faculty, and some of 
the chairs are filled by men of eminence. The for- 

tr 


318 


LEANING TOWER. 


mer splendor of the city is still visible in its desolate 
mansions. The great attraction to travellers is a few 
famous buildings, which all lie close together,—the 
cathedral, the Campanile, or, as it is designated more 
commonly, the Leaning Tower, the Baptistery, and the 
Campo Santo. In the winter there are many English 
who reside here on account of the mildness of the cli¬ 
mate, which is deemed much more genial than that of 
'Florence. 

We first repaired to the Leaning Tower, which 
contains the seven bells of the Duomo. It is about 
thirteen feet out of the perpendicular, and, beyond 
a reasonable doubt, I think, this is owing to the 
nature of the soil in which the foundation was placed. 
The tower is round, and built of white marble; and 
its bright appearance is remarkable when its age is 
remembered, as it is nearly seven hundred years old. 
It is one hundred and seventy-eight feet high, and 
the ascent is by easy steps. It has eight stories, 
each resting on arches. The prospect from the top 
is quite enough to repay the labor of the ascent, and 
the view extends to the Mediterranean, and commands 
a vast mountain range. The Duomo was commenced 
1063. Its architect was Buschetto, a Greek; and 
Kama! do, who succeeded him, executed the stately 
facade, with its five stories; the sides of the church 
have but three. This building is covered with mar¬ 
ble of various colors; the roof flat, and the interior 
richly gilt. It is supported by seventy-two columns, 
most of which are of granite. The cupola is frescoed 
by Kiminaldi; the subject is the Creation. The 
church is lighted by one hundred painted windows, 
and here are several gems of beauty in bronze statuary, 
by John of Bologna. The paintings are very good, 
and among them some capital works of Andrea del 
Sarto, whose pictures do not strike me as being so 
ct feeble 55 as they have been styled. St. Margaret, 
St. Catherine and St. Agnes, are pretty enough for 


CAMPO SANTO. 


219 


belles, to say nothing about saints. A sacrifice of Isaac 
is a picture of great power, and has much true concep¬ 
tion of the father’s heart. God Speaking from the 
Burning Bush is a picture not often equalled. The 
church is in the form of a Latin cross. It suffered 
from fire in 1596. The beautiful bronze doors were 
modelled in 1602, but are inferior to those at Florence, 
by Ghiberti. One door in the transcept escaped the 
fire, and contains a number of rude reliefs from the 
history of Christ. 

A silver altar in the Chapel of the Annunciation is 
of great beauty, and is said to have cost thirty-six thou¬ 
sand crowns. In the nave is a bronze lamp of fine 
workmanship, which suggested to Galileo the idea of 
the pendulum. A nobler church is seldom entered, 
and it is kept in admirable order. The pavement is 
very rich, and composed of marble laid down with 
great beauty. This church is called Gothic; but is 
destitute of the leading characteristics of Gothic ar¬ 
chitecture, as clustered pillars and pointed arches, &c. 

I hardly know what to say of the Campo Santo, 
which is an ancient cemeteiy, around which are spa¬ 
cious cloisters, but is as much a museum as a Gol¬ 
gotha. It is more than four hundred feet long, and 
nearly one hundred and fifty feet wide. The clois¬ 
ters are forty-six feet high, and thirty-four and a 
half wide. The interior is filled up with earth, brought 
by a crusading bishop from Mount Calvary, in fifty- 
three vessels. This structure was commenced in 1278 
over this sacred deposit. Sarcophagi have been ga¬ 
thered here from various quarters, and many stones 
commemorate the death of early Homan Christians. 
The principal attraction, however, is the extraordinary 
frescos which adorn the cloister walls, and afford the 
earliest specimens of the art. The great work of Or- 
gagna, “ The Triumph of Death,” and the Life of lob, 
by Giotto, and the Drunkenness of Noah, by Gozzoli, 
are the principal subjects of interest, although there are 


220 SANTA MARIA DELLA SPINA. 

a variety of other illustrations of sacred subjects. The 
costumes of these paintings are those of the age in 
which they were executed, and many an actual portrait 
is here on the walls. In a small chapel into which we 
entered, our guide called our attention to a remarkable 
echo, to produce which he chanted grandly. His tine 
voice was very rich and musical. 

We now went into the Baptistery, which was built 
in 1152. The pulpit is wonderfully beautiful; it was 
made by Nicolo Pisano. It stands on nine pillars, and 
has two marble desks for the gospel and epistle. The 
bas-reliefs of this excpiisite piece of statuary are as 
perfect as when they were completed. The cupola is 
lofty,—one hundred and two feet from the pavement. 
The fount is fourteen feet in diameter, and Murray says 
“ was formerly used for baptism by immersion.” 
Popery is fond of antiquity, but has gotten rid of 
some old things, and tried her hand upon many inven¬ 
tions. The Baptistery of Pisa is a noble edifice, and 
full of curious and beautiful things. 

We next rode over the river to see a little church 
called Santa Maria della Spina. It is a miniature 
Gothic structure in marble. Giovanni and Andrea 
Pisano were the artists to whom are ascribed several 
of the small statues which adorn this church. The 
church takes its name from a thorn of the Saviour’s 
crown, brought from the Holy Land by a Pisan mer¬ 
chant, and given to this chapel in 1333. 

At the Hairy farm (belonging to the Grand Huke, 
who resides at Pisa in winter), about three miles out 
of the town, there are more than two hundred camels. 
They are the desendants of those brought home by the 
Crusaders. We wanted to go to see them, but had 
not sufficient time; but, just as we were regretting it, 
I saw three of them bringing in immense loads of hay 
from the farm. They were fine-looking animals, and 
in better condition than those we see in menageries. 

Having taken dinner, we hastened to the cars, 



LEGHORN—ALARM OF AUTHORITIES. 221 

\vliere \ve were to meet Mr. Vanderbilt and onr friends 
Messrs. Powers and Hart, who were to visit the yacht, 
to see us sail from Leghorn. Our guide got off the 
train tospeak to Mr. Vanderbilt, and was in the act 
of jumping on as the train was in motion This was 
contrary to law, and he was snatched from the plat¬ 
form, and we went on without him ; but he telegraphed 
us, so that we heard of him on reaching the station 
a I Leghorn, and he made his appearance soon after, 
having taken a gig and driven rapidly to the city. 

Our ladies immediately went about shopping in Leg¬ 
horn^ and I looked round upon the city. The Via la 
Grande is a fine busy street, and on its pavements I felt 
that I was Rgain in a place of trade and commerce; 
for here were Turks, Moors, Armenians and Chinese, 
and tile Dutch sailors were smoking as if as much at 
home as in Amsterdam. The population is rather more 
than sixty thousand, of which one-sixth are Jews. 

La Grande Piazza is a noble square, and here is the 
great church, into which I did not enter- The Jews’ 
synagogue is supposed to be one of the finest in 
Europe. L 1 *L r* , 

A Turkish bazaar which we went to was filled with 
Eastern articles of great beauty, and with plenty of 
Drench triflesbut, as we were bound to Constan¬ 
tinople, we refused to be tempted. 

On our arrival at Leghorn, we were surprised and 
amused to learn that the fact of the yacht’s anchorage 
in the roadstead had excited an alarm. Orders had 
been received to place guard-boats off the North Star, 
and we were suspected of having arms on board, and 
it was thought that we had come to take or bring some 
“ Liberals/’ It was not quite certain that Kossuth 
himself was not on board. Great excitement existed, 
and orders had been received, from further off than 
Florence, to keep a vigilant eye on our movements. 
Our consul protested against these jealous fears of a 
gentleman’s yacht, but in vain. Austrian imagination 


222 


VISITORS* 


could not conceive of such a ship being the ocean 
home of a private American merchant. The yacht was 
thrown open to visitors, as in other ports ; and many 
hundreds came from Pisa, Florence, and Lucca, as 
well as the good people of Leghorn. 

Our friends, ? Powers, Hart and. Root, all seemed 
glad to walk our decks, and felt proud that the flag of 
. their country waved over them on such a vessel. Our 
«guide, Sebastian, who lived here, determined to go 
a with us to Rome, and so he left his family for another 
week. 

We were most kindly waited on by Mr. Henderson 
* and his nephew Mr. Millar, to the last moment, and 
T letters to Rome and Naples politely presented us for 
our service. .amam—cmu^at 

We had difficulty in getting rid of our visitors; 
and, when the Steam was up, and the Wheels revolving, 
a gentleman on deck would run into “ that great cabin” 
! with his wife and daughters, “ for one little minute.” 
We hurried him up, and when he took his boat, and 
We steamed off, there were at least one hundred boats 
x s$otflitl us, all filled with visitors. 

We left the port amid the hearty cheers of the vast 
fleet of boats, many of which were gaily decorated with 
colors. 

inodm.T Ilanra odT .oJPmjxjiJ 
owf and if-ml// of oar n sd tna <n 
•i; at ir/roi orft vhhnl '‘.bin i 
.nnpnT yd jfti/d bkw ffinil 
* N .gniaovo yr >/s uisih 
9ito bn a it isiqxj 1 ) too ban Jnluuf no tv 
uooa yodT .srofpjq-qiifg odt dtrw b 
c maxfi nr ioffiab e ot gnr/m Ku 

bomroPxgq bed ru fijnn burJol bswofb 
dirw bsluoimrmntoD bed ron-rovon >d) 
iroad bail eyaujn ynro 


: I I 


Ti: 


M 


U<)7 *? 


lf»T 


JXJlit 


// 


oTorn tadi oa <rnodgyJ )« drlrnd io Hid 
brul gwqaq yffit naflj biaod no od or ]>■. 


I«U Muoi 'ur 
o ( >mhimGij|> 
uiiT vmiott 
> no b'jjrimo 
yqrp; atto»'l9t\ 


223 


Jtimo an 
86 n 

ynnfn i»ii 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

LBAVB LEGHORN FOB CIVITA VECCHIA — HARBOUR— DIFFICULTIES ON 
OUB WAY—DISAPPOINTMENT—VOYAGE KBSUMED—SEE ST. PETER’S 
AFAB OFF—ISCHIA—PKOCEDA—BAIA, ETC.—BBIDGE OF CALIGULA 
—NAPLES — THE BAY — RENEWED DISAPPOINTMENT — SWIMMBBS — 

f • , ' J ' 1 / 

LADY MORGAN — VESUVIUS, ETC.— CAPBI AND SUNSET—STBOMBOLI 
AND .aSTNA—CAPE FARO, OB PBLORUS—SCYLLA—EARTHQUAKE OF 
1783 — MESSINA—SCENERY OF THE STRAITS—EHEGIUM — MOUNT 
■22TNA—SY'EACUSE—CAPE PASSARO—MALTA. 

Prom Leghorn, August 12, seven p.m., our course was 
directed for Palamjolu light, on the east coast of Elba, 
lying between that island and Piambino, thence south 
and east for the inside of the islands of Giglio and 
Gianuto; then running still south-easterly for Civita 
Vecchia, where we anchored at seven a.m. the next 
day. 

The town is small and clean-looking, has strong forts 
built out on a little rocky islet, and an old monastery 
off at the left serves as a Lazaretto. The small harbour 
is well protected from the sea by a mole which has two 
entrances,—one at each end. Inside the town is a 
basin to receive vessels, which was built by Trajan. 
This is guarded by a strong chain every evening. We 
took a health-officer on board, and our captain and one 
of the party landed with the ship-papers. They soon 
returned, and stated that, owing to a defect in them, 
we could not be allowed to land until we had performed 
quarantine, or till the governor had communicated with 
Rome. The difficulty was that some names had been 
omitted on the bill of health at Leghorn, so that more 
persons appeared to be on board than the papers had 




224 


DISAPPOINTMENT—SEE ST. PETER S. 


rios I 


specified..was unwilling to sutler a 
detention^ -ites supposed that, as.'wp.,naqj n a 

Charge d’Affaires at Naples, our best course was to go 
direct thither, and trust to his influence to get us ad¬ 
mitted to pratique, and then go from Naples to Home. 
TRt I Inspect ®»x!ub:our ^pirris, under ^he crj|.el|jclis- 
appointment of being so near to the Eternal City, and 
yet debarred the privilege of visiting the old Mistress 
otWorld! r ,‘ It mS^iiyf^e^poor ladies’ maids, 
who were Catholics, and our purser, Mr. Keefe, who 
alsO*wit§ MoSrB? the church, and had letters from Jus 
clergy .in New York, pommending him yo 1 sundry ,o|.juie 
faithful at Rome. ; une of the girls burst into a pas¬ 
sionate flood of tears, and declared that all which had 
ihHu'ced HS* p to eonFm ooara. was to go to Romeu 1 
and now the vexation was too hard for flesh and blood 


atlctfdi, v hdd l j‘Minding out'; 'apqht’mree hiiies. took a 
line'itoitt’dafey.'fiinaro to 1 Mount 3 JtjirceQo. About three 
o’eloeld Were off the mouths of the Ostia, and, 

the flay being beautifully clear, we had a capital view 
of St. Peters dome Anahprie small cupolas. J Au our 
party came on deck, and every glass was in demand. 
The distance from Romp was,'! imagine, about twenty- 
live miles. s8 c wb saw Rome. ’ ,1 have learned to bear 
with disappointments, and have often seen the happy 
results which frequently appear from having om^ 
anxiously'/ ufeihpSf 1 ;’paths hedged up. We had a flue 
night gpo n^the^s^'Ana 1 a qelicious air. ) 

Erqm^Mo'hht "Circeilo 9 we ; ran across the Gulf of 
Gaiet^k&f WhWp for Ischia. This island, with the 
small ''<Aie >r of I Woc?<fa, fon ns the north-western/shore, 
of the ^Mssmff Point Antonio, our 

cdhriB 1 ‘Gy‘ diVecj:' lin for Naples, jmlle migm was vent. 

Al1UllSir , ^tnUi!ni»'r JO 9£l)n dim )W‘ W -i ill x>fU3 pTOffl Ori I 


splbudid, hnaT spenE^mdsl'loii if A hpiirsTon deck, to 
wfeftch. jS' cSo^t .‘'of % ‘interest and scenery so 

rdmhritic as now surrounded us. 



ISCHIA. 


22o 


Ischia is- a spot full of wonders, and was once as 
famous for its volcanic eruptions as Vesuvius is at pre¬ 
sent. The last great outbreak was in 1302, when the 
island was almost desolated. Here are lofty hills, 
rugged rocks, and barren mountains; but there are 
many spots of beauty and fertility, where the vine and 
myrtle flourish, and all the tropical fruits abound. In 
the centre of Ischia rises Monte San Niccolo, a volcano 
which once ravaged the island; and from the summit 
of it the view must be most lovely. A few hermits 
dwell on this elevated rock, and their cells are cut out 
of the stone and lava. 

The town of Ischia lies about two miles off from 
Proceda, and a strong castellated fortress, on a preci¬ 
pitous rock, is united to the island by a stone bridge 
of great length. The ancient name of Ischia was 
“ Inanme,” and its circumference is about sixteen 
miles. Proceda is about two and a half miles long; 
the town occupies the shore, and there appeared to be 
a large number of fine buildings. Sailing on about 
two and a half miles from the eastern point of Proceda, 
we came to Point Misenum, the northern boundary 
of the bay. Here, on a high point, are two watch- 
towers and a large house. The scenery was very pic¬ 
turesque, and off to the northward there were several 
large steamers at anchor. We now passed Baia, and 
saw the ruins of ancient temples, and several apertures 
from the sea leading through the solid rocks. Near 
to the shore are the baths of the Cumeean Sibyl. All 
along the shore from Baia to Pozzuoli, which lies in a 
bay, the navigation near the shore is rendered dan¬ 
gerous from the ruins of houses and towers which are 
submerged, and which extend so far from the coast as 
to reach where seven and eight fathoms water are close 
to them. Near to the town are the pillared ruins of 
the mole and the splendid bridge of Caligula, which 
once reached over to Baia, two and a half miles in 
length. East, lies the small island of Nisita, which is 


226 


NAPLES. 


the quarantine station. To the north of this is a mole, 
and midway from the island to the land is a steep 
rock. From a point of land on which is a large white 
building, much like an American hotel, you get the 
first view of Naples. Off this spot are vast ruins 
which lie in the sea, and the towers of other ages now 
require that the navigator should give them a wide 
berth. Having turned this point, we came to the 
Castle del Ovo, upon a rock. MergiUena point is lined 
with charming residences, and the shore on to Naples 
is one unbroken line of villas, palaces, and imposing 
structures. And now before us was the Castle of St. 
Elmo, and, hard by, the Convent of St. Martino; there 
was the royal palace and the arsenal, all lying on the 
noble slope of the hill on which the city stands. As 
for church domes, I can’t pretend to number them,— 
they were everywhere. A mole is built out before the 
town, on which is erected a high brick tower, which 
serves as a light-house. 

This city stands where Palcepolis and Neapolis 
formerly stood. Neapolis was desolated by the great 
eruption of Vesuvius in 79, when the elder Pliny was 
destroyed. This glorious bay is, I should think, nearly 
twenty-five miles across from Ischia or Misenum to the 
opposite shore—perhaps more. As we anchored in the 
harbor on a lovely Sabbath morning, everything seemed 
beautiful. Before us lay the city, like a crescent; and 
off to the right the Villa Reale, well thronged with 
Neapolitans; and, turning' round, we saw Vesuvius and 
the road leading off to Pompeii, and off to the left lay 
the grotto of Posilipo and the tomb of Virgil, while 
stretching far northward are the hills of quiet beauty, 
with the lofty Appennines forming a back-ground. 

The health-officer who boarded us took our papers, 
and then went on shore to report; and when he returned 
brought us word that we could not land, owing to the 
condition of our bill of health. We found that our 
Charge d’Affaires had left for America; and, unwilling 


NAPLES. 


227 

to stay for a long quarantine, we were once more doomed 
to be satisfied with the sight of our eyes. From the 
entire tone and bearing of the official, it was clear that 
the authorities did not much care to have Americans 
land there; and we did not seem to have favor in their 
sight. While at anchor, boats came off in great num¬ 
bers, with fruit and vegetables, and a vast number of 
men came swimming around us. One very good¬ 
looking-man, with gold spectacles on, and carrying a 
silk umbrella and smoking a cigar, swam from the shore 
to our yacht—full one-third of a mile. Ho trod the 
water as though on a pavement, and was breast-high 
out of the waves. Mr. Vanderbilt now determined to 
try his hand with the English, and ordered our course 
to be directed for Malta. 

W r e have seen Naples,—ay, and seen it in great 
beauty,—and we have gazed for four or five hours upon 
the unrivalled shores of her glorious bay. To say that 
we long to tread the classic haunts with which our early 
studies had made us familiar, is but what we shall gain 
credit for. O, it was hard to see and turn away ; but 
then how much had we enjoyed since the dawn of this 
lovely day ! 

Well did Lady Morgan remark, in her work on Italy, 
which I confess I always read with interest: “In the 
environs of Naples their lies subject-matter for the 
antiquary, the painter, the naturalist and the philoso¬ 
pher. Its coasts are bathed by the sea of Homer; its 
lakes and hills afford the topography of Virgil; its 
vineyards bloom over caves where the Cumcean Sibyl 
composed her oracles ; and every cliff and headland is 
a history, the register of a crime* or the landmark of 
an adventure which has made the immortality of him 
w T ho recorded or him who performed them. The whole 
of these shores look as if they w r ere etched and painted, 
the cbawing and coloring equally exquisite. The sea- 
pieces of Salvator Rosa are recalled at every step.”— 
Vol. hi. pp. 155-6. 



238 


CAPRI—ITALIAN SCENERY. 


The ladies had for several days determined upon the 
ascent of Vesuvius, and had most industriously pre¬ 
pared a general equipment of Bloomer apparel for the 
occasion. The clothing market fell, upon the news of 
the Neapolitan embargo, and great bargains might have 
been made at this moment of depression. 

We were fairly moving out past the mole, and every 
eye was on the city, then off to the sweet village of 
Portici, built almost upon the ruins of Plerculaneum, 
and then upon Vesuvius, mounting to the clouds and 
throwing off a slight vapor, and, beyond, the Apennines. 
Then there is Posilipo point, with its white mansions, 
and off before us Capri, of olden fame ; and our course 
lay between this island and the cape on the main. 
This island takes its name from the goats that used to 
browse upon its cliffs; it became part of the empire 
under Augustus Cassar, who made it a place of occasional 
retirement. Is has always been regarded as a most 
healthy spot; and here Tiberius spent the last days of 
his shameful career, amid the most cruel and abominable 
debaucheries. Every part of the island was studded 
with palaces, groves, gardens, and grottos. On a lofty 
hill stands a ruined fortress; and on the eastern point of 
the island is a vast ruin, which indicates the splendor 
which once reigned here. Medals, statues and other 
ancient relics, are often found here. The panoramic 
view from Capri, embracing the bay, its beautiful 
islands, the promontories north and south with their 
bold cliffs, and a bright blue sea, is altogether the most 
beautiful one that I have seen. As we came to the 
southern point, we were delighted to see the Scopuli 
spoken of by Virgil. An arch, as perfect as could be made 
by art, opens through these rugged rocks, and is said 
to be of enormous height,—I belief four hundred 
feet. 

The sun was shedding his evening rays upon Vesu¬ 
vius, and throwing violet hues all over the mountain 
sides* as we took our latest look at the enchanting 


AN- JULIAN SUNBET f> , , 2$9 

scenery. This was perhaps the most brilliant sunset 
that we ever witnessed. As the sun neared the horizon, 
it appeared like a ball of lire. The back-ground was 
of shaded crimson, deepening towards the sun; above it 
there was a deep-blue cloud fringed with gold, and above 
this streaks of the most delicately-formeci clouds, all 
crowned by a canopy of exquisite shading; then, 
diverging from the sun, came pillars of parti-colored 
light, gradually losing themselves in the clear sky, at 
about twenty-five degrees from the horizon. To-day 
we observed divine service at eight o’clock p.m. £) {j 
W e now made a straight course for Stromboli, and 
discovered this light-house of the sea. At about 
in the morning Captain Eldridge kindly came below, 
and called us up to see the ever-burning faro of the 
seas. There it was, long miles off, flaming away just 
as brightly as it did when Carthaginian navies and 
Roman consuls ploughed the waves in their war-galleys. 
Here am I, looking upon an object which has, fastened, 
the gaze of millions ; and they wondered as I do, and 
then they perished in successive periods; and here 
we are from the New World, gazing on the same 
wondrous exhibition of terrific power, and are reminded 
that “ one generation passeth away and another cometh, 
but the earth remaineth.” How unchanged are its 
grand features* while the long generations of men who 
have lived have returned to the dust from whence they 
sprang ! Nature is as young and lovely as at her birth ; 
the stars shed as bright a radiance as when Job wrote 
about tlie Pleiades and Arcturus; the meadows are as 
green as when Isaac walked out to meditate at evening- 
tide, and the waves are as restless and rolling as when 
the Saviour calmed them down by the power of their 
Creator; but the nations that lived on these shores, the 
navies that sailed these seas—where are they ? They 
have grown old,—and they are not. if rp 

Stromboli lies about thirty-three miles north of Sicily, 
and is nearly ten miles in circumference, ft is a cone 

x 





230 STROMBOLI—LIPAUI ISLANDS. 

rising up to the height of twenty-five hundred feet ? 
above the sea. All round its base and sides are scat- j 
tered hamlets, with a population of nearly fifteen r 
hundred, who are on the edge of destruction, and |t 
live and act, ay, and sleep on the surface of an ! i 
eternal volcano/ I do not quite understand how ( 
men can become reconciled to such appalling dan- . 
ger. This is the only volcano that is known to maintain < 
constant eruption. Its earliest mention is two hundred 
and ninety-two years before Christ, and it was burning 
in the days of Augustus and Tiberius. Part of the 
island is very fertile; the soil is black mould, and 
abounds in corn, cotton, grapes, figs, and currants. In 
the island are many curious caves, and the Grotto del 
Bovi Marini is eight-one feet long and thirty-five wide, 
and is full of crystallizations. This volcano is probably 
supported by oxygen, pyrites, and sulphur,—there are 
no signs of bitumen. 

The Lipari Islands were known to the ancients as the 
iEolian Islands, and the poets feigned that /Eolus here 
shut up the winds. These islands were vastly useful to 
Homer and Virgil,in furnishing them with poetical mate¬ 
rials. In Hiera, Vulcan’s forge was placed. Twenty- 
seven years ago a damsel on the Hudson river asked 
me if I knew her brother-in-law. I replied Yes. 
“Well,” said she, “ don’t you think he is an interesting 
man?” To this I agreed. She then said that she 
thought him very interesting, adding, “ 0, he has seen , 
so much of the world! He has been all through the 
Mediterranean river ; he’s seen the burning mountains, 
and seen them make nuns, and seen them after they 
were made.” I could not help remembering her ideas 
of the interesting, whilst I was enjoying the same privi¬ 
leges. Poor girl! her romantic notions have long 
since given place to the every-day duties of a good 
Dutchman’s wife. 

At the earliest dawn of day, we saw the peaks of 
the gigantic /Etna far away, and soon discovered the 






.ETNA—SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS. 231 

smoky cloud, which ever covers his hoary head. Every 
eye was fastened upon the increasing view which our 
rapid headway now afforded. But we were to see iEtna 
to greater advantage as the day advanced. What a 
remarkable thing it was to see these three great vol¬ 
canoes of the world—Vesuvius, Stromboli and iEtna 
—in the short space of less than nine hours. This 
could only happen to a voyager by steam. 

We now steered direct for the Faro Point, the famous 
promontory of Pelorus, which took its name from the 
pilot of Hannibal, who was put to death on suspicion 
of bad faith to the Carthaginians. Here we obtained 
line views of the Calabrian coast, which is grand in its 
rugged mountainous aspect. Just as we passed Faro 
we saw the famous Scylla of classic story, which occa¬ 
sioned so much dread to the early navigators of this 
channel. It is a bold rock, and is perhaps one hun¬ 
dred and fifty feet high, and is the jutting-out cape of 
the western part of Calabria. Underneath it are ca¬ 
verns and pieces of rock around, and a strong western 
current from the Tyrrhene Sea sets in with violence, 
which formerly produced frequent disasters to the Greek 
sailors who drifted on the dangerous cape. Much of its 
horror, however, may be ascribed to the poetic imagin¬ 
ation of Homer and Ovid. 

Now the name of the cape is Sciglio, and a castle 
strongly fortified forms a striking object upon the rock, 
as it is approached from the Pelorus. This town of 
Sciglio was the scene of an awful visitation in February 
1783, when an earthquake nearly destroyed the place. 
The castle, churches, houses, &c , were extensively in¬ 
jured; and the prince, with more than two thousand of 
his people, fled to the beach for safety, when the pro¬ 
montory of Campala, falling into the sea, caused the 
waters of the straits to rush over to the Pelorus, and as 
they receded it was with a tide of violence that earned 
off "the unfortunate prince and every one of his people. 
The exact location of Charybdis is a matter of doubt. 

X 2 




232 


MESSINA—ITS SCENERY. 


Some place it at the light opposite the harbor of Mes¬ 
sina, others at the Faro Point. Captain Smyth says, 
“ Outside the tongue of land that forms the harbor of 
Messina lies the Galofaro, or celebrated vortex of Cha- 
rybdis, which has with more reason than Scylla been 
clothed with terrors by the writers of antiquity.” Our 
passage from Faro to Messina, which is a distance of 
ten or twelve miles, was one of great interest, for the 
landscape on the coast of Sicily was adorned with every 
beauty. On the shore were charming villages, noble 
convents, and venerable churches, and the back-ground 
composed of lofty hills finely cut into ravines. The 
straits here are narrow, and resemble a noble river; 
and the Calabrian shores present a glorious line of 
mountains. 

The approach to Messina is very fine. It stands at 
the base of a picturesque mountain-range, belonging to 
the Neptunian chain. The city is large, and the cathe¬ 
dral and the noble towers of churches and convents rise 
from among the mass of buildings. Behind the city, 
and far up the mountain, are two very ancient-looking 
forts ; and midway between them is an old monastery, 
in which Bichard Cceur de Lion resided in 1190, when 
on his crusade to the Holy City. The buildings, 
mostly white, are in beautiful contrast with the rich 
green foliage behind. The population is about eighty 
thousand. We saw a large number of vessels lying at 
the Marina, which is a fine wharf in front of the city. 
The scenery reminded several of our party of the banks 
of the Khine; and the passage of this piece of water is, 
I think, a sufficient reward for all the trouble of a voyage 
from America. 

Let me speak of the great pleasure with which I here 
read a little volume called “ Sicily, a Pilgrimage,” by 
Henry T. Tuckerman, and published by G. P. Putnam 
& Co. It is a book of beauties; and then its delinea¬ 
tions are so graphic, and its descriptions of nature so 
truthful! I think it is written in its author’s happiest 



EHEGIUM—SYRACUSE. 


233 


moments, and it has made many of my horns at sea 
pass away delightfully. Our course lay straight for 
Syracuse, and, passing by Messina, we soon came to 
Rhegium, a neat little place on the Calabrian coast. 
f J his is the town to which Paul came after his ship¬ 
wreck, when on his way to Pome. Now we have a 
noble sight of iEtna. It is capped with snow, and we 
can well see the beauty of Pindar’s description, when 
he calls it cc the snow-clad pillar of the heavens, this 
nurse of endless frosts.” It lies before us, and will be 
in sight all day, and late into the evening. It is di¬ 
vided into three ranges, known as the cultivated, the 
lorest, and the desert regions. The crater is said to be 
two miles in circumference. Prom Mount iEtna are 
derived those supplies of snow and ice which the towns 
of Italy and Sicily require. What a map must be laid 
out to the view of the man who stands upon Mount 
iEtna, and what a survey of cities, mountains, coasts, 
bays and capes ! It was a fine evening, on the 15th 
of August, when we made Syracuse, which stands upon 
a neck of land divided by a very small arm of the sea 
from the main island. The name of the island is Qr- 
tygia. It has two harbors, and one affords the best 
anchorage in the world, and is large enough to accom¬ 
modate the navy of any country in Europe. This city 
once had a circumference of twenty miles, and a popu¬ 
lation of five hundred thousand ; now it has only about 
fifteen thousand. Here are the two columns of the 
temple of Jupiter Olympus, and they are now good 
landmarks for entering the harbor. In this port Lord 
Nelson supplied his fleet when lie was in his celebrated 
pursuit of the French fleet, in 1798. It is something 
to have seen this remarkable city, which was founded 
seven hundred and thirty-two years before Christ* by 
Archias of Corinth ; and we cannot look at it without 
remembering Dionyisus, Thrasybulus, Agathocles and 
Archimedes. - -nr. 

It was owing to the Mammertines 3 who lived in the 




234 


ARRIVAL AT VALLETTA. 


southern part of Campania, and who served as merce¬ 
nary troops under Agathocles, having rebelled after¬ 
wards against the Syracusans and appealed to Home 
for protection, that an army of Bomans, under Appius 
Claudius, came against the Carthaginians, and com¬ 
menced the celebrated Punic wars, which at last de¬ 
stroyed Carthage, aud annexed Sicily to the empire. 
This city has been battle-ground for Greeks, Bomans, 
Saracens, Normans and Spaniards. It was off Syracuse 
that the great battle was fought between the Dutch 
and Drench fleets, in 1676, when Admiral de Buyter 
was killed. 

Our course was now directed for Malta, and we made 
Cape Passaro at night, and thence arrived off Malta on the 
morning of the sixteenth of August, before day-light. 
As we lay off a copious shower of rain fell; but we 
found that it did not extend to Malta, where no rain 
had been known for many months. At six o’clock we 
entered the port of Valletta, with our anticipations 
highly raised as to the gratification which awaited us in 
this celebrated island. 


<)! -JU ■<: ; dll 1 
J ). * Jt K ^ \ 1 l : » t / , _ 

MiJ | D ( 

mu? u j)« i 
t; > w : i ji n. 

htsO -hi >(ti | 




235 


# 

CHAPTER XIX. 


HARBOUR—AKABS—ALLOWED TO LAND—VISIT FROM MR. CONSUL WIN- 
THROP—DIVERS—HISTORICAL NOTICE—VALETTA—THE RACES—MAL¬ 
TESE BOATS—INVITATION FROM THE GOVERNOR TO TAKE DINNER— 
INVITATIONS FROM THE OFFICERS OF THE GARRISON—VISIT TO SIR 
WILLIAM REID—GOVERNOR’S PALACE—MR. WINTHROP’B RESIDENCE 
—MSS. OF ITALIAN OPERAS—CAPTAIN THOMAS GRAVES, R.N.—CITTA 
VECCHIA—SHOPS—THE GOVERNOR AND SUITE VISIT THE YACHT— 

st. John’s church—walls of the citadel—country people- 
costume—forts ANGELO, RICASOLI, MANOEL, TIGNE AND ST. ELMO 
—TURKISH SIEGE IN 1565 — DEPART FOR CONSTANTINOPLE. 

We found a large quantity of small shipping in the 
harbor, and one vessel thronged with Arabs, bound for 
a pilgrimage to Mecca. Some of them were the ugliest- 
looking customers I ever saw. We were soon at an- 
chor, and a health-officer came on board, and we were 
at once allowed to land,—but were full of fear when he 
took our papers up with tongs. As soon as we 
had taken breakfast, our consul, Mr. William Winthrop, 
came off to us and gave us a cordial greeting, and 
offered us his best services to render our visit agree¬ 
able. When we came on deck from breakfast, we found 
a number of boats around us, with bands of music of a 
rather primitive character, as regards the instruments; 
but our attention was rivetted to two or three boats in 
which were divers. They were fine-looking young men, 
and were ready, for a small silver coin, to go to the 
bottom, and they invariably brought it up in their 
mouths. These fellows were admirable specimens of 
muscle, I never saw such perfect development. One 





236 MALTA—ITS HISTORY. 

of them had a lad of fifteen who sat on his shoulders, 
and they dove down together. Often did they pass 
under our yacht, and come up at a distance on the 
other side. 

This same island is a most remarkable one, and, ex¬ 
cepting the rock of Gibraltar, no other rock has greater 
claims to notice. I say rock, for it is nothing else. 
We have read of Malta in the entrancing pages of Vir- 
tot, and have fancied that we knew something about 
the forts and bastions; but the thing itself is won- 
drously beyond description. I will not say more of its 
history than that it has been in the possession of Phoe¬ 
nicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Eoinans, Vandals, 
Goths, Normans, Germans, the Knights of St. John 
and the Trench, and it has been held by the British 
since 1800. All of the appearances of nature are Afri¬ 
can ; nothing is European but the modes of life and 
the habits of civilization. The celebrity of Malta arises 
from its having been so long the great bulwark of 
Christendom against the blood-stained crescent banner 
of the Turk; and from this island a signal check has 
been given to the corsairs of the African shores. Now 
it is the great stopping-station of travellers to the East. 

Malta in 1516, fell into the hands of Charles V.; and 
when the Knights of St. John, who had been expelled 
from Ehodes, were in search of a new home, the Em¬ 
peror determined to cede the islands of Malta, Gozo, 
Comino, and Tripoli in Africa, to the order. The grand 
master at this time was Phillip Yilliers de LTsle Adam, 
a Erenchman. The Knights took possession of then* 
acquisitions October 1530. The castle of Angelo was 
the only fortified place, and efforts were at once made 
to strengthen it; and from that period down to the 
capture of Malta by the Erench, in 1798, the Knights 
devoted their attention to strengthening the defences 
and increasing their number, till they made it one of 
the most renowned military stations in the world. Every 
one has read of the bloody sieges which were carried on 


VALLETTA—ITS DESCRIPTION. 237 

by the Turks and corsairs, and so gallantly withstood 
by the Knights of the Cross. 

“ There like an eagle in her rocky bower, 

The gallant order braved the Moslem power, 

While Europe echoed with their martial fame. 

And rung with La Valette’s undying fame.” 

The town of Valetta was founded by this illustrious 
Grand Master. It stands on a peninsula, crowned by 
Eort St. Elmo. The foundation was laid in March 
1566, and in 1571 it became the seat of government. 
The city of Valetta is fully equal to any town in the 
Mediterranean, as respects the beauty and elegance of 
its streets arid buildings. Its position between two 
arms of the sea, running very nearly parallel into the 
land, is commanding; and on each side of it is a spa¬ 
cious and commodious natural harbor. The streets are 
wide, and intersect each other at right angles, and the 
dwellings are thrown into blocks. The material of 
building is a tine cream-colored stone, and the flat 
roofs furnish a good promenade. I greatly admired 
the architecture; nearly all the houses have projecting 
balconies, and the windows are adorned with deep 
cappings, affording a very picturesque appearance to 
the streets. We landed at the wharf neat our ship, 
and soon found that everthing was novel. We passed 
a magnificent gate, and discovered that to get into the 
city we had to ascend the streets of steps immortalized 
by Lord Byron, wdio said, “ Adieu, ye cursed streets 
of stairs,”—and queer enough they are; but, on gain¬ 
ing the level ground, w r e were all charmed with a city 
which strongly reminded us, in some of its streets, of 
the grand city of Bath. We had the good fortune to 
reach Malta on St. Roch’s day, the 16th August, on 
which day the annual races occur, and were advised by 
Mr. Winthrop to be present. They take place on the 
shore road, at the head of the quarantine harbor. 
Mr. Vanderbilt engaged two Maltese boats, and our 
party, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop, were 
to go by water. Our route lay through our harbor, 




238 RACES—MALTESE BOATS. 

round Fort St. Elmo, and up the quarantine harbor. 
Of all the boat excursions that I ever made, this was 
by far the most enchanting. We had as fine an even¬ 
ing as sunset ever lighted up with its parting beams. 
We sailed close under the rocky ramparts of Fort 
St. Elmo, and then entered the quarantine harbor, 
passing Fort Tinge and Fort Emanuel, and having the 
town of Yaletta now upon our left. At the head of 
this harbor we found the race-road on its shore, and a 
vast multitude assembled. There were three prizes,— 
one for donkeys, one for fillies and one for horses. 
The animals were ridden by boys, and they used no 
saddles or bridles, but displayed great dexterity in 
riding. The race seemed to call out the mass of the 
population, and the shops were closed. The donkeys 
ran well under severe whipping, and the horses made 
fair speed. There was a strong police upon the ground, 
and many priests present. We remained in our boats. 
In consequence of the nature of the harbors, and the 
position of Yaletta and the other towns and collections 
of buildings, a vast fleet of boats is necessary, and 
hundreds of men are employed in the transport of 
passengers from one side to the other. The Maltese 
boat is about twenty-five feet long ; the two ends are 
higher than the midships, the sternpiece running up 
about two feet above the gunwale at that point, and 
both ends are alike. They are something in general 
shape like our whale-boats, but broader and heavier. 
The after end is fitted up with seats, under an awning 
rigged on a stationary frame, with side curtains, and a 
very comfortable accommodation is afforded. The boats 
are fancifully painted, and are kept in admirable order. 
We found the Maltese boatmen active and obliging, 
and quite intelligent. For fifty cents we could com¬ 
mand a boat and two men from sunrise until midnight. 

Our return home was diversified by a visit which we 
made to the new English steamship Valette, which had 
that day arrived from Marseilles, in forty-six hours. 


CIVILITIES—GOVERN Oil’s PALACE. 239 

She is deemed the fastest steamer in the Oriental line, 
and this is the best time ever made from Marseilles. 
The officer in charge was very polite, end conducted 
ns over every part of the ship, which is fitted up in 
excellent taste; but the accommodations of the passen¬ 
gers seemed very limited, when compared with our own 
in the North Star. The sunset of this evening will 
long be remembered by us. The sky was cloudless,— 
not as deep a blue as we have at home; but off to the 
west there was a broad magnificent expanse of golden 
effulgence, and we can fully appreciate an Italian 
sunset. 

On our arrival at the yacht, we found an invitation 
from the Hon. Sir William Reid, the Governor of 
Malta, inviting Mr. Vanderbilt and party to dinner at 
the palace; but Mr. V. was obliged to decline this 
polite attention, in consequence of his arrangements 
only allowing us two days in Malta. Invitations also 
were kindly sent us from the officers of the 3rd regi¬ 
ment,—“ the Buffs,”—the Royal Engineers and Ar¬ 
tillery, and the 68th Light Infantry, requesting us to 
dine with them on successive evenings. All these kind 
overtures we were relunctantly compelled to waive. 
The 3d regiment, known as “the Buffs 5 ” is the only 
regiment which has the privilege of passing through 
the city of London with their flags flying and drums 
beating. 

The next day Mr. Vanderbilt invited me to accom¬ 
pany him to call upon the governor. The day was as 
hot as I ever experienced, and even in a carriage it was 
fearful. The palace is situated in a spacious square. 
It is a vast edifice, of plain architecture externally, 
and is three hundred feet square. It is surrounded on 
each side by the four principal streets, and on three 
sides has a row of open or covered balconies. The 
palace has two grand entrances in front, opening into 
a court, and one entrance on the other sides of the 
building. The interior of the mansion has been the 




240 


SIR WILLIAM REID. 


care of the different Grand Masters of the order. It 
consists of two stories, each containing a series of 
apartments which traverse the entire quadrangle. In 
the court is a portico, covering a fountain with a statue 
of Neptune. The upper story consists of numerous 
and elegant apartments, and very spacious saloons, 
richly adorned with paintings in commemoration of the 
battles of the Knights. Some of these are excellent 
productions. Here are many of the works of the first 
masters. In the waiting-room at the end of the hall, 
as we ascended the grand staircase, we noticed St. 
George and the Dragon, St. Peter, jEneas, &c. In 
the corridor leading to the armory, we entered a room 
hung with tapestry representing scenes in India and 
Africa. These tapestries were brought from the Gobe¬ 
lins one hundred and fifty years ago, but still look 
fresh and beautiful. The armory is very splendid; 
and here you see the warlike equipments belonging, to 
the brave old Knights of Malta. Here was a suit of 
black armor seven feet three and a half inches high. 
Among other Turkish trophies, is the sword of the 
renowned pirate and Algerine, Admiral Dragut. The 
best painting that I ever saw of Louis XVI. is in this 
palace. It was sent to the Grand Master by the un¬ 
fortunate monarch. We found his Excellency in a 
large room, surrounded by his papers, and evidently in 
his usually occupied room. Sir William Keid is a fine- 
looking, elderly gentleman, of very quiet manners. He 
received Mr. Vanderbilt with great cordiality, and ex¬ 
pressed his happiness that the yacht had visited the 
port. The, Governor made particular inquiries after his 
friend Mr. W. C. Kedfield. Sir William is an officer 
in her Majesty’s army, and was once governor of Ber¬ 
muda ; but he is well known as the author of various 
publications on the theory of storms. He told us that 
his attention was first directed to this subject by Mr. 
Kedfield, of New York. Governor Reid took an 
■active part in the management of the London Exhibi- 


CONSUL WINTHROP—Ills RESIDENCE. 241 

tion, ill 1851, and probably owes his present exalted 
position to the eminent services which he rendered upon 
that occasion. Captain Hoare, the son-in-law of the 
governor, was present at our interview. He is a gentle¬ 
man of much intelligence, and has been in the United 
States, and had crossed from San Juan in one of Mr. 
Vanderbilt’s steamships, in company with Mr. Jacob 
Vanderbilt, after whom he inquired with friendlv in¬ 
terest. The governor made many inquiries in relation 
to American steamships, and their power of speed. 
As we were taking our leave, Sir William informed 
Mr. Vanderbilt that he should pay a visit to the yacht 
the next day at twelve o’clock. Master George Van¬ 
derbilt was with us at this call, and it happened that 
when he and I were at the Crystal Palace, in London, 
we both met Sir William Pteid, who kindly introduced 
us to Air. Nesmith, who had the charge of the ma¬ 
chinery, and from him we had much information as to 
the steam-power of the exhibition. The lad was re¬ 
membered by the governor in connection with some 
inquiries that he made of me, and which were heard 
by him, and led him to place us under Air. Nesmith’s 
care. 

I went from the palace to take a family dinner with 
the consul. Mr. Winthrop has a fine residence in a 
house once occupied by the Prior of the Knights of 
St. John; it is close by St. John’s Church. I can 
hardly imagine a more pleasant home than he possesses. 
His rooms are very spacious, and extend through a 
long suite of apartments, on one side of which is a 
gallery, lined with exquisite shrubs and fiowers; and 
on the other sides the rooms open upon a balcony, 
which overhangs a fine street. The ceilings are many 
of them beautifully frescoed, and the staircase is of 
massive and elegant stone-work, richly carved. Mr. 
Winthrop has been consul here for nineteen years, and 
finds the climate adapted to his health, which has been 
feeble; but he now appears likely to live a long life* 

V 





242 CAPTAIN GRAVES—SINGULAR COACH. 

which all who know him will, I am sure, desire most 
earnestly. Our consul is a hard student; he has de¬ 
voted himself to historical pursuits with great ardor. 
He has contributed a series of admirable papers to the 
Southern Messenger upon the history of the Knights 
of Malta, and is one of the principal contributors to 
the admirable “ Notes and Queries,’ 5 published in 
London. In his library I was much interested with 
an extraordinary collection of two hundred and twenty- 
four MS. volumes of Italian operas, from 1596 to 
1824, with the names of the persons to whom they 
were dedicated, and the places in which they were 
performed. They contain upwards of seventy thou¬ 
sand pages, and are most admirably written, Mr. W. 
has received applications to part with them to go to 
England, but he would prefer selling them to an 
American library: and he would readily find a pur¬ 
chaser, I think, if they were seen by some of our 
collectors. 

At Mr. Winthorp’s I had the pleasure to meet with 
Captain Graves, of the Loyal Navy. This gentleman has 
obtained much celebrity by the admirable charts which 
he has constructed for the coasts of the Levant. These 
he presented to Captain Eldridge; they were of great 
service to us. Since we left Malta, I am happy to 
notice that Captain Graves lias been appointed Super¬ 
intendent of the Ports in Malta; he is also President 
of the Literary Society of Malta. I visited Captain 
Graves, and saw his noble library ; and he most kindly 
favored me with the loan of several exceedingly rare 
and valuable books, which I was to leave at Gibraltar 
on my return to that port. 

After dinner, our party took carriages, and we rode 
out to Citta Vecchia, sometimes called La Notabile. 
The hack-coach here in use is new to us. It is a close 
coach-body, of antique style, capable of holding four 
persons, but with no box for the driver; and rests on 
two leather stretchers, which run from the axle to the 


. 


CITTA VECCHIA—BEGGA11S. 


243 


cross-bar beliind the liorse. It lias but two wheels, 
the ends of the long shafts being mortised into the axle, 
and thence running straight to tugs formed in a strap 
traversing a huge saddle, at which point they are made 
fast. The entire weight of the carriage is thus thrown 
on the shafts. The collar and breeching are very rude 
affairs, and the driver runs barefooted at the head of 
the horse, governing him by a long rope, the spare 
length of which he carries in a coil in his hand. 

This old city is on the highest ground of the 
island, and nearly at its centre. This is the head¬ 
quarters of the Catholic Church, and the bishop is also 
titular Archbishop of Kliodes. He has a palace here, 
and one in Yaletta. This city, though small, is sur¬ 
rounded with walls and bastions, and is regarded as a 
strongly-fortified place. Its ancient name was that of 
the island, Melita, and is so spoken of by Ptolemy in 
his geography. It was once a stately city. The in¬ 
auguration of the Grand Masters took place here. 

Our ride was through a oountry of entire rock. The 
soil has been brought here from Sicily, and is mixed up 
with the friable portions of the rocky native soil. We 
found some few good houses on the road, but the poor 
Maltese live in worse huts than the Irish cabins; and 
they who labor in the city -walk in and out, eight, ten 
and fourteen miles a day, in this burning sun. Assi¬ 
duous labor has rendered even this rocky island very 
fertile, and the products are strawberries, figs, pome¬ 
granates, grapes, peaches, nectarines, apricots, oranges, 
lemons, melons, medlars, plums, pears, apples and 
prickly pears. The great object of curiosity at the old 
city is the cathedral, the site of which is said to be the 
spot where Publius resided, who was governor when 
Paul was shipwrecked here. 

The church is a fine edifice, in the rich Corinthian 
order, and it has a very splendid altar of marble. Some 
of the party visited the catacombs of St. Paul, and ex¬ 
plored these ancient sepulchres. I went with a proccs- 

y 2 




244 


DISTINGUISHED VIS1T011S. 


sion into a church, to witness a mass on behalf of some 
person who had just departed this life. The priests 
were returning with the host, and a number of boys 
carrying lamps and tapers, headed the array. Here we 
found more beggars than at any other place, and they 
were wretched-looking ones, too. Children without 
eyes, or perhaps some with only one, were held up by 
parents for alms. Eye-diseases are awfully preva¬ 
lent, owing to the white dusty clouds constantly dying 
from the rocky ground. 

On our return, we passed the governor’s country- 
house, which has a very fine garden. It is at St. An¬ 
tonio. Here are ponds and fountains. 

We found the shops well supplied, and the goods 
quite reasonable. In a bookseller’s shop I was pleased 
to see a fair representation of American books. Har¬ 
pers’ publications were here in considerable numbers. 
Several of us took a dinner on shore at Baker’s Hotel, 
and found it an excellent one ; and Mr. Baker was ex¬ 
ceedingly kind, and rendered me very valuable services 
by procuring for me some things which I had in vain 
attempted to obtain, The hotel is thoroughly Eng¬ 
lish, and the attention all that can be wished. 

On the morning of the 18th, w r e had a large num¬ 
ber of visitors from the city ; and at twelve o’clock 
precisely we observed the governor’s boats on their 
way. His excellency came on board under a royal 
salute from the North Star of twentv-one guns. He 
was accompanied by his sister-in-law, Lady Bolland, 
the widow of the distinguished English Judge Bol- 
land, Bear Admiral Houston Stuart, General Fergu¬ 
son, and some thirty British officers of the garrison, 
and a number of ladies. General Eerguson is a noble¬ 
looking man; he is one of the most distinguished offi¬ 
cers in the English army, and holds his present honor¬ 
able position in acknowledgment of his long services 
and great bravery in many hard-fought battles. He 
is regarded as one of the noblest ornaments of the 


st. John’s dritiKCir. ^45 

profession. Our visitors appeared to be very much 
pleased and surprised with the yacht, which they 
examined very thoroughly. Admiral Stuart and se¬ 
veral of the officers complimented Captain Eldndge 
upon the admirable manner in which the salute was 
fired, and said it would have been creditable to a 
man-of-war. 

As soon as our friends left us, I went on slioie 
to visit St. Jolin’s Church, which is the great church of 
Malta. It was built in 1576, and has been adorned at 
large expense by all the Grand Masters of the order. 
The falcade of the church is anything but attractive. 
The interior is fine, and the choir lias an admirable 
sculpture in marble, representing the Baptism of Christ 
by John, by Bernini. The roof is adorned with paint¬ 
ings, in illustration of the life of J ohn. The pavement 
is richly adorned with sepulchral slabs in mosaic, witli 
colored marbles, jasper, agate and precious stones. 
These cover the graves of the knights who died here, 
and there are many declarations on these slabs of the 
virtues of the departed heroes. The grand altar is 
very superb, and chairs of velvet are placed for the 
bishop and governor. The chapels which used to 
belong to the chapters or languages of the order run 
parallel with the nave, and constitute the aisles. They 
are very richly embellished, and the roofs are all dome- 
shaped. Erom one of these chapels is a staircase lead¬ 
ing to the crypt, in which are the tombs of the Grand 
Masters. Here is intered L’lsle Adam, the first Grand 
Master in Malta. Of this great man I was so fortu¬ 
nate as to procure a grand portrait, which is as old as 
his time, but in perfect condition, and a painting of 
much merit. The Decollation of St. John, by Michael 
Angelo Caravaggio, is a noble picture; and so is the 
Tlagellatioii, by Sebastiano del Piombo. 

I The Catholic clergy of , this island are thought to be 
more than one thousand. An English church, known 
as St. Paul’s, was built here in 1830, by the Dowager 




34G VALETTA—MONUMENTS. > 

Queen Adelaide. It is a plain and neat edifice, and 
well adapted for divine service. 

In this place we found some excellent statuary cut 
out of the soft yellow stone used in the buildings here. 
The workmanship was very good, and the men have 
taste enough to make use of the classical models ol 
antiquity. We obtained some fine vases and figures, 
which are life-like. 

More than once did I wander over the walls of Ya- 
letta which overlook the ditch, and where are monu¬ 
ments to the memory of former governors of this for¬ 
tress and other persons of note. The tomb of the 
Marquis of Hastings is under the Chevalier St. John, 
and in another place the sepulchre of Governor Sir 
Thomas Maitland. The view is as fine as seems possi¬ 
ble ; the walls overlook the great harbor and its lateral 
creeks or openings, which accommodate so many ves¬ 
sels, the three towns opposite, and the castles which de¬ 
fend them; and there, too, you have a distinct view 
of the Eloriana suburbs. This is a place of great re¬ 
sort, and the prospect of the sea in the evening is very 
charming. The native dress is much worn by the lower 
classes; a long cap, hanging down behind, of various 
colors, I saw on many men ; and this is used as a pouch 
for small articles. Many of the Maltese wear a silk or 
cotton sash to hold up the pantaloons. The white 
clothes of the poorest were beautifully clean. Many 
of the country people looked quite jauntily. 

I greatly admired the dress of the Maltese ladies. It 
consists of a black silk petticoat, which is worn over a 
body of some other silk or print, and this is called tihalf- 
onnella. The upper part is called the onnella , and is 
also of black silk, drawn up into gathers at the centre 
of one of the outer seams. In the seam of one of the 
remaining divisions is inclosed a thin piece of whale¬ 
bone, which is drawn over the head, and forms an ele¬ 
gant arch, leaving the face and neck perfectly open. The 
left arm is covered with part of this habit, and the 


COSLUMES— CASTLE OF ST'. ANGELO. 


mi 


right is used for keeping down the angle of the other. 
The whole is very neat, and the Maltese ladies are ndt 
doficient in grace to show their dress off to advantage. 
I hope this account may be intelligible ; if it be not, I 
may be pardoned when I say that it is the description 
given in one of their publications at Vaietta. The 
country-women usually wear striped natiVe cotton; the 
head-dress is a tsholkana , instead of an onnella . The 
doublett is in shape the same as the half-onnella; but 
on gala occasions they put on the gezuira, which is a 
kind of petticoat of blue cotton striped with -white, 
drawn up in thick creases round the waist, and open on 
the right side, where it is tied with bows of ribbon. 
The poor women of the island rarely wear shoes, but 
have one pair which they keep for special occasions. 
The onnella , no doubt, took its origin from the oriental 
veil. I have noticed vast numbers of the laboring 
men Ijdng down in the streets and on the docks, 
and I am told that they often sleep all night ex¬ 
posed to the air. 

I will not close this notice of our visit without a 
slight account of the forts, which are 4o marked a 
feature of the place. 


CASTLE OF ST. ANGELO. 

aolrdnan sjjj cur blori o: 


lot 


In 870 the Arabs erected here a small fort to guard 
their piratical craft which anchored in the great harbor. 
The Knights of St. John, on their settlement, made it 
their chief bulwark, and added greatly to its strength. 
In 16S6 it was very much enlarged, under the Grand 
Master Gregorio Carafa, and it took its present appear¬ 
ance in 1690. It presents a most formidable appear¬ 
ance, and consists of four batteries, one above another, 
in the style of ail amphitheatre, and mounts fifty-one 
guns, and others upon the cavalier and adjacent walls. 
This fortress is garrisoned by British artillery. ' - 

)f(j bun .tided eidt lo ting dtiw beiovoo nrie fbl 





FORTS. 


24 $ 

FORT RICASOLI. 

This was founded in 1670, by the Cavalier Ricasoli, 
at his personal expense; and the Grand Master Cot- 
toner ordered it to be called bv his name, as a mark of 
his gratitude for such generosity. This fort is built on 
a point of an angular projection, and corresponds with 
St. Elmo, on the opposite shore, in front of Valetta: 
and thus the two forts command the entrance to the 
great harbour. Erom the sea, if well garrisoned, the 
fort is quite impregnable ; and from the land it could 
only be reached by surmounting a long succession of 
very strongly-defended forts, which would threaten de¬ 
struction to any assailants. I'< /II, m<-» 

' >.ImI an.n,\ jj . j I ,.i i 

FORT MANOEL. 

• (h i iih . f • 11u>fi 

This was erected in 1726, and is now used as a 
Lazaretto. 

• I . ; i | I 11 l 

FORT TIGNE. » * m 

This fortress was built in 1796, and named in 
honour of the Cavalier Tigne, who planned the bar¬ 
racks of St. Elmo. This fortress, in connection with 
St. Elmo, defends the entrance to the quarantine har¬ 
bour ; it is regarded as a very strong work, and has 
extensive mines cut in the solid rock. It is garrisoned 
by the artillery and a company of the line. It answers 
to Eort Eicasoli, and St. Elmo is the great central point 
between the two harbours; the wings of defence are 
Eicasoli and Tigne. 

■ i, t. . )! od i ■)< ) .ojj'iui i 'i; ,(i; r.hu-irwe 

THE CASTLE OF ST. ELMO. 

This, I have already mentioned, stands upon the ex¬ 
tremity of the peninsula which separates the two chief 
harbours ; and the great harbour on the left has three 
lateral inlets, which are defended by Eort St. Angelo, 
and on the shores of which stand the towns of Eur- 
mola, Senglca and Vittoriosa,—all nearly opposite to 


SIEGE OF ST. ELMO BY TURKS. 249 

\ aletta. The Fort St. Elmo was built by the Viceroy 
of Sicily, against the Turks, in 1483. On obtaining 
possession of the island, the knights saw the vast im¬ 
portance of this point; and when they commenced the 
city of Valetta, they made St. Elmo the citadel. In 
1565, the Sultan Solyman, angry at the seizure of a 
Turkish galleon belonging to one of his favorites, 
threatened the destruction of the order; and, for this 
end, sent a powerful fleet under Dragut, the admiral of 
the Algerine navy. This armament appeared off the 
island in May. The attack was made on St. Klmo, 
usually defended by sixty men under the command of 
a knight ; but on this occasion sixty knights and a 
company of Spanish infantry were sent in as a rein¬ 
forcement. The Turkish artillery battered the fort 

%> 

from sea and land. A breach was effected, and a 
bloody contest followed; and the result would have 
been the destruction of the garrison, had not supplies 
arrived in the night from the other side of the great 
harbour, and the wounded were carried back in the 
boats. The ravelin was stormed bv the Turks, and 
fell into their hands after a loss on their part of three 
thousand men. Eut the courage of the knights was 
unabated. At last, in their exigency, they sent a 
knight to the Grand Master, to request permission to 
evacuate the fort. La Yalette, knowing the vast im¬ 
portance of the place, would not permit it to be aban¬ 
doned, but managed to excite the emulation of the 
garrison, who were now determined to die rather than 
surrender their charge. On the 16th June, a general 
assaidt was made by the Turks, and the walls were 
laid level with the rock on which they were built. The 
enemy entered the ditch, and a heavy fire was kept up 
on both sides. The assault lasted for six hours, when 
the Turks retreated with a loss of three thousand men. 
Seventeen knights perished in the breach, and three 
huudred soldiers were killed and wounded. A volunteer 
reinforcement from the other side, of one hundred and 




250 


MAGAZINES. 


fifty men, came over; but it was stated that this was 
the last aid that could be afforded. The 22d of June 
the assault was renewed at break of day; and, after 
defending the place for four hours, only sixty men 
remained to man the breach. At eleven o’clock the 
janissaries took possession of the Cavalier, and Dragut 
entered the fort. Not one knight survived, and every 
soldier perished in the breach. The Turks lost eight 
thousand men, and the order had to mourn the deaths 
of three hundred knights, and about one thousand three 
hundred soldiers. The bloody conqueror, anxious to 
revenge the death of his men, ordered a search for the 
dead knights, ripped out their hearts, cut their breasts 
in the shape of a cross, and set them afloat on boards, 
for the tide to waft them to St. Angelo, and the head¬ 
quarters of the Grand Master, at Borgo. La Yalette, 
by way of reprisal, put his prisoners to death, and, 
loading his cannon with their heads, fired them into 
the enemy’s ranks. The next year after the defeat of 
the Turkish invasion, the first stone of Yaletta was laid, 
and the Castle of St. Elmo built in great strength. In 
1687 it was almost entirely rebuilt, and early in the 
seventeenth century the bastions of hard limestone 
were added, and supplied with artillery. 

On the angles of the ramparts which command the 
entrance into both harbours are seen two turrets, ori¬ 
ginally intended for the purpose of watching all vessels 
entering and departing the harbour. A treble row of 
magazines, nineteen on each story, now forms a barrack 
for two regiments of the line, and a safe asylum for 
females in case of a siege. These magazines are bomb¬ 
proof, and are within the walls under the western wing 
of the fort. 

I must not forget to name the vast chambers which 
are dug in the rocks to preserve grain in case of siege. 
These caves are hermetically sealed, arid will preserve 
grain for one hundred years. A vast quantity of wheat 
is brought here from the Black Sea, and consequently 



LEAVE MALTA. 


251 


there are in this port many Turkish and Greek vessels, 
the sailors in which do not appear very ship-shape, or, 
as Captain Eldridge says, “ don’t look cut the right 
way of the leather.” Yarletta is a free port, but wheat 
and oil pay a small duty. Bents are quite reasonable 
in Yaletta, and good houses can be had from one hun¬ 
dred dollars per annum upwards. 

Having purchased laces, mittens, corals, vases, sta¬ 
tues, pictures, &c., we prepared to depart. We did not 
leave Malta without regret; for we had formed very 
pleasant acquaintances. Mr. and Mrs. Winthorp and 
Captain Graves were very kind and friendly, and 
placed us all under lasting obligations. They dined 
with us wliile the anchor u T as being iveighed, and at 
seven p.m., on 18th August, we left Malta for 
Constantinople. 

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CHAPTEE XX. 


MOREA—CERIGO—CAPE COLONNA—TEREDOS—PLAINS OF TROT—ENGLISH 
AND FRENCH FLEETS—SIGJEUM—HELLESPONT—DARDANELLES—CAS¬ 
TLES OF EUROPE AND ASIA — PROPONTIS, OR SEA OF MARMORA — 
FIRST VIEW OF STAMBOUL — SCENERY — ANCHORAGE OFF PERA — 
ME. BROWN AND OTHER VISITORS — VISIT TO PERA, GALATA AND 
TOPHANA — SULTAN’S NEW PALACE — GULLS — SULTAN’S FIRMAN — 
SERAGLIO—ATMEIDAN, OR HIPPODROME—SUBLIME PORTE—LIBRARY 
—ANCIENT ARMOUR—MOSQUE OF ST. SOPHIA—HISTORICAL NOTICE, 
ETC. 

On a fine evening we steamed out of the famous port 
of Malta, and lay a direct course for Cape Matapan, 
the southern point of the Morea. During the night 
the wind freshened, and about twelve o’clock we 
passed a man-of-war, which we supposed to be a 
United States ship, as one was expected to arrive in 
Malta. 

The nineteenth was not quite so pleasant a day; it 
was close and muggy, and no bad imitation of an 
American dog-day. It was in charming weather that 
we made our first view of the Morea, and went close 
by Matapan, which runs out to a lofty, precipitous jut, 
and at its base is a cavern, which looks as if it bore 
marks of volcanic action. My copy of Lord Byron 
was now in demand. We next crossed the mouth of 
the Gulf of Kolokythia, and obtained a good sight of 
Mount Taygetus, which takes its name from Taygete, 
the daughter of Atlas, Its highest point is about 
three miles south of Sparta. IVe were now making 
the north point of Cerigo, the chief of the Ionian 
Islands. The coast was precipitous and barren, but 
its valleys are exceedingly fertile, and produce wine, 


CAPE COLONNA—TENEDOS. 253 

oil, flax, cotton and silk, and corn enough is raised to 
support the inhabitants. The population is about nine 
thousand. We saw a vast number of fishing-boats 
engaged in their business, which seemed very profit¬ 
able, as they caught a great many. These islands 
are now under British protection, and enjoy a greater 
degree of prosperity and more commerce than formerly. 

"W e passed Cape Spati and its chapel, and made Cape 
St. Angelo and its rocky shore, and then bore away 
north-easterly for the Straits of Doro, passing between 
Zea and Macronisi Islands, and leaving St. George to 
our left. Otf Cape Colonna we caught a glimpse of 
the ruins of the Temple of Minerva, of which several 
columns remain; and they stand on an elevation of 
two hundred feet above the sea, and are visible midway 
in the straits. The passage between Macronisi and Zea 
is about eight miles, giving us a fair prospect of both 
shores. The port of Zea is an excellent one, and we 
passed by it, as it stands on the north-west part of the 
island; on some charts it is put down as the Port, in 
others as St. Nicholas. The wind was ahead, and the 
sea rough for many hours. 

Passing the Straits of Doro, we bore away for Tene- 
dos, and on the morning of the twenty-second we came 
up with the Island of Mytelene, at early light. This 
was the Lesbos of classic story, and here Sappho and 
and Alcaeus were born. We were off Tenedos at seven 
o’clock. This island is six miles in length, but only 
about two and a half in width, and is a rocky spot. 
The town is small and mean looking. I noticed the 
first mosque that I have seen. A fortress with a large 
number of guns mounted, and a number of soldiers on 
the shore, looked as if it were regarded of some im¬ 
portance. The Turkish flag was waving from the walls. 
It was to this island that the treacherous Greeks with¬ 
drew their fleet, to induce the Trojans to imagine that 
they had abandoned the siege, and then sent the wooden 
horse to Troy, Almost directly opposite to Tenedos 

< 




254 


PLAINS OF TROY. 


are the Plains of Troy. The exact position of the 
renowned city is a matter of dispute. On the coast 
are many hillocks, which tradition declares to be the 
tombs of Achilles, Hector, Ajax, Penelens, and other 
magnates of the Homeric song. Plere, too, are ruins 
of vast magnitude. Off at a little distance west lie 
Lemnos and Imbros, the hiding spots of the Greeks, 
and the former famous for the ancient assertion of the 
rights of the ladies, who took a short cut to their object 
by murdering all the men. But now, at a little past 
seven o’clock, we were interested by observing, just 
ahead, a vast fleet of ships of the line; this was the 
combined fleet of England and Prance lying at anchor 
in Beshika Bay. Captain Eldridge, to give us a fair 
view, shaped his course directly through the fleets, and 
we had a capital opportunity to see those noble ships. 
The French ships were very fine, and looked in good 
order. The combined force consisted of about twenty- 
five ships of the line, and perhaps twelve or fifteen 
steamers. As we passed we dipped our colors, and the 
English returned the compliment; but the Frenchmen 
were not so polite. Besides these large ships, there 
were probably twenty-five or thirty small vessels and 
tenders engaged in purveying for the armament. 

Cape Janissary is the site of the ancient Sigaeum, 
and is the south headland of the entrance to the Helles¬ 
pont. Here the Scamander pours its waters into the 
sea. The scenery on the Asiatic side immediately 
improved on doubling this point, and the shore looked 
more fertile than on the European. The Hellespont 
here is about three miles wide, and gradually diminishes 
its breadth. We passed about midway, and saw both 
the castles distinctly. On the European shore there is 
an old battery outside the Hellespont, and a new castle 
on the promontory, at the entrance, of seventy cannon 
and four mortars. On the Asiatic side stands an old 
castle, with a battery of eighty guns and four mortars. 
All our party spent the forenoon on deck, and we made 


DARDANELLES—SESTOS AND ABYDOS. 255 

advantageous use of the volumes of Schrceder, Stephens, 
and the ancient but invaluable folio volume by Sandys, 
who, though he travelled and wrote two hundred years 
ago, is still unsurpassed as a local guide in the East. I 
left my own copy at home by a mistake; in London I 
could not get the old book tor less than four guineas; 
and when at Malta, my friend Captain Graves, hearing 
me lament the loss of it on this voyage, kindly allowed 
me to take his copy. Several tine locations now ap¬ 
peared on the European side, the country-houses looked 
tpiite cosey, and the cypress was abundant. Some of 
the hill-tops were very lofty, and we observed tents on 
their summits. A large number of vessels lay at an¬ 
chor waiting for a fair wind, and, by comparing their 
height with the elevation of the land, we concluded 
that it must be at least two thousand feet. Six or 
seven miles brought us to the famous Dardanelles. 
Here, on the Asiatic side, is the fortress or castle called 
Sultani Kalessi, with one hundred and twenty nuns, 
many of which discharge immense stone balls. Kilid 
Bahr is the name of the castle on the European side, 
and it mounts sixty-four guns. We now approach to 
Sestos and Abydos, and the spot which has been im¬ 
mortalized by Leander, Lord Byron, and Dr. Holmes’ 
oyster-man. The town of Galipoli, at the promontory 
which makes the entrance to the Sea of Marmora (the 
ancient Propontis), has an old castle, with a mole and 
lighthouse. The country directly round it is very pretty 
and Englisli-looking. We directed our course for the 
northern point of the Isle of Marmora, and during the 
night had more motion than w r e had expected in this in¬ 
land sea: here v 7 e shipped our first sea on the voyage. 
At break of day we were getting near to Constantinople, 
—and I am sure that the impressions of this day will 
never be erased from my memory. Like Mr. Schrceder, 
we made this port at early day, and I shall appropriate 

his description of the scenery, which is, in my opinion, 

y 9 

L & 




256 BOSPHORUS—SCENERY. 

a most felicitous attempt at the creation of a verbal 
panorama. 

“ The sun was peeping, with half-closed eyelids, 
through the woods on the heights beyond Scutari; 
the sea lay in breathless quiet, and the brilliant city 
glittered with its minarets, its mighty domes, its 
towers and the white sheen of palaces. The Seraglio 
Point jutted out, a mass of cupola and a forest of rich 
foliage; and its walls skirted round the margin of the 
point, a compact and massive front of elegance. The 
city rose loftily behind this garden fore-ground. Scu¬ 
tari sat like a rival, opposite; Pera on a cape just 
beyond the Seraglio ; and the Bosphorus opened in a 
vast perspective of palaces, on either shore, far into the 
distance, the banks rising with rich foliage, and every 
height crowned with some noble kiosk. The gilded 
tops of a hundred minarets caught the sun-rays in fire, 
and the domes seemed to hover over all lesser things. We 
neared rapidly, in the still morning, passing on ourleft 
the famous ‘ Seven Towers,’—a fortress famed in the 
annals of tyranny and cruelty,—and wound along the 
whole elegant curve of the Seraglio Point, which is 
inconceivably beautiful from the water; a grand com¬ 
position of foliage, and every Turkish architectural 
fancy. We entered the Bosphorus, and looked still 
further into its beautiful distance. On the right, in 
Asia, was Scutari, only a lesser Constantinople; and 
the distance across to the Seraglio Point, in Europe, can¬ 
not, I think, exceed a mile and a half. Pera was on 
the other side of the Golden Horn, which opened from 
the Seraglio Point on the left; and before I could well 
recover from my bewildered feelings we had advanced 
into the Golden Horn.” 

It was a matter of some difficulty to find suitable 
anchorage for our yacht, as all around us were large 
vessels and steamers at anchor, and the currents set in 
at this point with tremendous force. We at last 



>rnm 4 ■vrmTXrrMJT T7 1 















































ANCHORAGE OFF PEftA. 


257 • 

selected a spot in front of Peru and Galata, and per¬ 
haps three hundred yards from the shore. Near us lav 
a ship which hoisted the English yacht flag. She was 
about four hundred tons, and belonged to Mr. Leyland, 
of London. Dlose by, also, was the British war-steam¬ 
ship, the Firebrand, which had just arrived with des¬ 
patches to the minister. A lovelier position than we 
lay in could not be found. The hills of Constantinople 
were off to our left, Pera and its heights before us, and 
the Golden Horn dividing these cities, and over the 
Horn a bridge which unites the two places. Scutari, 
with its crowded houses and charming back-ground, lay 
off to the south; and on all sides were ships of various 
sizes, and hundreds of the graceful caiques shooting in 
every direction, and impelled by noble-looking Turks. 

I think we hardly felt like leaving the deck to take 
our breakfast, and every moment was a loss that de- 
prived us of the opportunity to gaze upon the wondrous 
shores on either hand. 

An elegant caique soon came alongside, and we had 
the happiness to meet with Mr. Brown, the dragoman, 
or secretary of our embassy, who very politely offered 
us his own and Mrs. Brown’s friendly services while 
we remained in port; and he chalked out a plan of 
operations by which we might make the most of our 
time. Visitors in vast numbers now dropped in, and 
among the many I remember with pleasure the call 
which we received from a young officer of the Firebrand 
steam-frigate, Mr. J. B. Butler. Mr. and Airs. Ley- 
land, and their son and daughter, tutor and governesses, 
came from the yacht Sylphide, and we were much gra¬ 
tified with the party.. 

After dinner we landed in Pera, which, with Galata 
and Tophana, are the suburbs, in which all foreigners 
reside; and they answer to Constantinople as Brook- 
lvn does to New York, but are united to Constanti- 
nople by a bridge resting upon boats, which spans the 
Golden Horn. Tophana and Galata are on the water’s 




§i>§ Visit td £kiiA, GALAlA AKb tOtMA^A* 

edge, and Petti covets trie iiill-tojl: Ill Galata is the 
naval arsenal, and the military affairs are chiefly carried 
on in Tophana. The impressions produced upon a 
foreigner at landing are very strange. He has been 
gazing upon a capital of wonderful splendor and mag¬ 
nificence, and he finds himself at once in scenes of dirt 
and filth which cannot be surpassed in the narrowest 
lanes of New York, or in the worst streets leading to 
the piers of the North river. Streets we did not find 
on landing, but old wooden shanties seemed to have 
been rained down, and our course was between them, 
and around them, and all the time up, up. We had a 
kind guide in Mr. G. De Giacombo, a Greek, who car¬ 
ries on the ship-chandlery business, and had the supply 
of our yacht. He piloted us round, and took us to se¬ 
veral stores ; and at one house, up stairs, we saw some 
exquisitely-embroidered muslin dresses, -wrought by 
Armenian women. The ladies thought them more 
beautiful than any similar work in Paris. The heat 
was intense, and the labor of ascending the wretched 
streets, and getting out of the way of asses laden with 
stones, who went straight on, was considerable. The 
loads on these donkeys were immense; bricks, stones, 
timber, were tied up with cords, and thrown over their 
backs, and a Turk walked behind smoking. We en¬ 
tered a cafe for the purpose of obtaining ice-cream, but 
found the preparation not at all palatable. We then made 
our first acquaintance with sherbet. It was rather poor 
stuff, made of fruit and water, and is better in poetiy 
and on the page of oriental romance than in the streets 
of Pera. We could not avoid noticing that which all 
travellers allude to,—the multitude of dogs in the 
street. They are only the frames of dogs; for such 
skeletons I never before looked at. They are mostly 
of a dirty-red color, and are the ugliest-looking speci¬ 
mens of the canine tribe that can be imagined. At 
one spot I reckoned thirty-seven. They were all lying 
down, and, to pass along, you have to accommodate 


kfcLl'Att J S NilW fiALAck. §£§ 

their slumbers* and give them u wide berth. We 
reached Pera, the residence of the ambassadors during 
the winter months. It is rather better laid out than 
Galata, but struck us a miserable place. At length we 
came to a burying-ground, densely shaded with cy¬ 
presses. Here was a cafe with grounds laid out in front, 
and tables under the shade of cypress and other trees. 
We took our places, and called for coffee, which was 
handed to us in small cups of china, which held no 
more than egg-cups. The prospect extending before 
us was glorious, and a great many persons were there, 
apparently enjoying it as much as we did. 

On our return, we descended the hill, and came back 
by Tophana, so as to see the gateway of the new pa¬ 
lace which is building for the Sultan. It is a very 
noble building of white marble, with extensive wings, 
faces the Bosphorus, and is on its banks. The style is 
Grecian, and its architect, I was told, is a Greek. The 
grand gate of entrance at the vvest is the most elaborate 
piece of marble-work that we have ever met with. On 
our way, we met an Araba, with one of the Sultanas, and 
three other ladies. The carriage was an old-fashioned 
affair,—green, yellow and gilt. There were two black 
eunuchs on horseback, with pistol-holsters at the saddle. 
The lady had been down to the shore to look off at the 
yacht. 

All around our anchorage we were amused with 
thousands Of immense gulls* which were as tame as 
barn-yard poultry. They skimmed close to our decks, 
and swam up to the very sides of the yacht and other 
vessels; and on the wharves I observed hundreds ot 
them perched upon the sheds. They are never mo¬ 
lested ; no gun is ever allowed to be fired at them, and 
their lives are as sacred as those of the horrid whelps 
on shore. The porpoises, too, in the harbor, are evi¬ 
dently quite at home. They rise up close to the caiques, 
and fear no evil. This sacred regard to life is a strik¬ 
ing feature in Mahometanism; and if it only had refe- 




260 SULTAN’S FIRMAfr—SERAGLIO. 

i-ence to the preservation of humanity, it would be a 
happy circumstance. The following day, our friend 
Mr. Brown having procured a firman from the Sultan, 
we landed in Constantinople, to visit the places of 
prime interest to foreigners. This firman, and the 
guard who goes with it, and has us in safe-keeping at 
the peril of his life, is a mightily expensive aflair, and 
cost us rather more than sixty dollars. We landed 
in caiques, and went off under the charge of Mr. 
Brown’s special guard, who was one of the janissaries. 

Our first visit was paid to the seraglio, on the grand 
point. We entered through a desolate-looking court, 
on one side of which stood a clump of fig-trees, the 
only sign of life or vegetation to be seen. At the en¬ 
trance into the seraglio we exchanged our boots and 
shoes for slippers, with which we all came provided. 
Proceeding up a long flight of marble steps, we fol¬ 
lowed the Turkish conductor through long galleries and 
apartments, which were profusely adorned with engrav¬ 
ings, and among them I noticed a series of Trench 
ones, illustrating the campaigns of Napoleon. The 
ceilings of most of the rooms were painted with flowers, 
and so were many of the walls. The apartments were 
generally matted with straw, and many of them opened 
upon the Bosphorus, others into charming flower-gar¬ 
dens. We were shown the most lovely bath-room that 
I have yet seen ; it is composed entirely of white mar¬ 
ble, and is as luxurious a spot as can be contrived. It 
was quite a large room. Prom the principal room of 
the harem there were a number of smaller apartments 
leading off by separate doors. The furniture was ge¬ 
nerally quite plain and old-fashioned; not a footfall can 
be heard upon the thick mattings. 

Descending a few steps on our way to the flower- 
garden, we entered a secluded retreat overhanging the 
Bosphorus. It had a bow-window, marble floor, and 
a fountain in the centre, that discharged and sent up a 
stream which spread into grateful showers of spray. 


HIPPODROME. 


261 


The light was softly mellowed by the curtains, and 
from the ceiling a lamp was suspended, which the crys¬ 
tal drops just failed to reach. All around were small 
jets and fountains flowing into the basin of the larger 
one, amid which were golden flsh disporting them¬ 
selves. One room, which was that devoted to the Sul¬ 
tan, was very large and lofty. All around are im¬ 
mense sofas, and on one side an imperial couch of vast 
size, covered with a canopy. Around the opened door 
we were allowed to stand, but not to enter. 

The garden is very tastily laid out, and filled with 
trees, shrubs and flowers. I noticed verbenas, gilly¬ 
flowers, geraniums, marigolds, roses, and wall-flowers, 
and orange and lemon trees were very abundant. The 
seraglio has not been occupied for several years, except 
by the officials who keep it in order. The reason of 
its desertion, although so supremely beautiful, arises 
from the unpleasant associations which are connected 
with the murder of Sultan Selim; and the late Sultan 
and his son, now on the throne, have neither been wil¬ 
ling to reside here. The dragoman informed us that in 
case of an insurrection escape from this point would be 
impossible. A walk of some little distance led us by 
the spot where Sultan Selim was murdered by the 
janissaries. 

We then entered the Hippodrome, which was built 
by the Eoman Emperor Alexander Sevems. It is now 
probably two hundred and fifty yards long, and one 
hundred and fifty wide. Many of the monuments 
which used to adorn this place were demolished or 
stolen by the Crusaders, when they took Constanti¬ 
nople, in 1204. Among its present striking features I 
may name the obelisk, of red granite, which was cut 
in Egypt more than three thousand three hundred 
years ago. Its height is sixty feet; it is supported 
by four bronze blocks, which rest on a foundation of 
marble, on which are bas-reliefs representing the races 
which used to occur in the Hippodrome, 




262 


SUBLIME PORTE. 


Here, too, is a brazen pillar of three serpents en¬ 
twined ; it was brought to Constantinople by Constan¬ 
tine from Delphi. The heads of the serpents are want¬ 
ing, and it is said that one was struck off by Mahomet 
II., on his conquest of the city. A square marble pil¬ 
lar, erected in the eighth century, and covered with 
brazen plates, was known as the Colossus. It stands at 
one end of the Hippodrome, and served as a meta in 
the races. 

Not far from the Hippodrome, or as it is now called, 
the Atmeidan, is the burnt column, which is ninety feet 
high, and composed of porphyry; but it has so fre¬ 
quently suffered from tires, that it is hard to tell of 
what it is made. It came from Athens to Rome, 
where it adorned the great Temple of Apollo, and 
afterwards was brought here bv Constantine; and it 
is said that he placed in the foundation one of the 
nails used in the crucifixion, and several other sacred 
relies. The inscription placed the new capital under 
the protection of the Saviour of the world. The 
famous bronze horses which now adorn the portico 
of St. Mark’s, at Venice, formerly stood, at the cor¬ 
ners of this place. The Atmeidan was the scene ot 
the massacre of the janissaries, and here they met 
with their fate by order of Sultan Mahmoud, who 
saved his own life by this sad sacrifice of thousands 
of men. 

We now approached a marble gateway, which pre¬ 
sents nothing very striking in its appearance, but 
which has afforded its name to the city and govern¬ 
ment,—-“the Sublime Porte.” We were here shown 
into the ancient throne-room where the Sultan gave 
audience. The throne is not very unlike an old- 
fashioned four-post bedstead, and stands in one corner 
of the room. It is gilded, and profusely ornamented 
with precious stones. The pillars at its corners are 
thickly studded with rubies, emeralds and turquoises. 

Leaving tins, we entered the library, which has u 


LIBRARY—ANCIENT ARMOUR. 


268 


flight of steps leading to it. The room was dark and 
cheerless. Our dragoman opened a huge genealogical 
parchment, which contains the pedigree of the Sultans 
and their portraits, to the time when Selim ascended 
the throne. The MSS. were closely arranged on shelves, 
guarded by an open net-work of iron wire. We were 
shown some beautifully illuminated copies of the 
Koran. When we were at the Sublime Porte, we 
saw a lad of about fourteen, reciting his lessons to a 
priest. The boy went on with a gentle recitative chant, 
book in hand, as he squatted down before a stool, ac¬ 
companying his voice with a gentle uniform swaying of 
the body to and fro. He looked on us and smiled, but 
by no means intermitted his employment. 

Our next visit was to the armory in the ancient 
Church of St. Irene. Here we found all descriptions 
of weapons, some of which were of great antiquity. 
We were much gratified at seeing in this place some 
links of the chain used by Xerxes at the Hellespont. 

And now we turned towards the renowned Mosque 
of Saint Sophia. The history of this wonderful 
structure of Greek architecture for more than one 
thousand five hundred years is very interesting, and 
I have condensed the leading features of its vicissi¬ 
tudes from Von Hammer. 

In the year 825, when the council of Nice was 
held, Constantine erected the Temple of Divine Wis¬ 
dom. In 404 it was burned down. It was rebuilt 
by Theodosius, 415. In the fifth year of Justinian 
it was again burnt, and was reconstructed with greater 
splendor by that Emperor. The building occupied 
seven years, and was completed in 538. Twenty 
years after, half the dome fell in; but Justinian restored 
it with an additional magnificence, and at Christmas, 
568 it was solemnly re-opened. The walls and arches 
were of brick, and the marble columns were of the most 
admirable character; every variety of marble, porphyry, 
granite, white marble with rose-colored veins, green 




264 


MOSQUE OP ST. SOPHIA. 


marble from Laconia, blue from Lybia, black Celtic 
with white veins, Egyptian granite and porphyry, 
was employed. Here were eight columns which Aure¬ 
lius took from the Temple of the Sun, at Balbec; 
eight green eolumns from the Temple of Diana, at 
Ephesus; and several others carried off from Troas, 
Cvzicus, Athens and the Cyclades. Thus had the 
spoils of idolatrous worship been devoted to a Chris¬ 
tian church; and the dome of St. Sophia proudly 
rested upon the pillars of the ancient temples of pa¬ 
ganism. The cross was planted upon the column which 
supported the statue of Justinian. This cross fell in 
the great earthquake of 1371. In 987 a portion of the 
dome was again thrown down and restored; so that 
this magnificent work is partly composed of the first 
edifice of Justinian, partly of the second, and then was 
renovated by Basilius and Constantine. Mahomed the 
Conqueror erected the two pillars toward the sea, and 
one minaret. Selim II. built the next one, and Murad 
III. erected the other two minarets, at the north-east. 
All history testifies that this was the most splendid 
temple of the Byzantine empire. The tradition is that 
an angel delivered the plan of this church to Justinian, 
and also furnished large treasures for its completion. 
At the dedication, Christmas eve, 548, the Emperor 
slaughtered one thousand oxen, one thousand sheep, 
six hundred deer, one thousand swine, ten thousand 
fowls ; and, in addition to this, distributed thirty 
thousand measures of corn to the poor. Entering 
the church, he said, “ God be praised who has thought 
me worthy to complete such a work. Solomon, I have 
surpassed thee!” 

This mosque is in the form of a Greek cross : three 
of its sides are surrounded by vaulted colonnades with 
cupolas, and the other side is the entrance. 

At entering, we had to put on slippers, or walk in 
our stockings. The walls are Of stone, and highly 
J wbile the floor is of' strum and marble, and 


MOSQUE OF ST. SOPHIA. 265 

covered almost entirely with matting. The dome is 
very grand, and its centre is one hundred and eighty 
leet from the floor, its diameter one hundred "and 
fifteen feet, and its height one-sixth of the diameter. 
The extreme interior length of the mosque is one 
hundred and forty-three feet, and its breadth two hun¬ 
dred and sixty-nine feet. The eight porphyry columns 
from the Temple of the Sun, at Rome, support the 
dome; and, with smaller ones of white marble, the 
cupolas,* also, on either side of the dome. Twenty- 
four Egyptian granite pillars sustain the galleries. The 
columns in all amount to one hundred and seven. Ou 
the vault of the dome are four immense seraphim in 
mosaic work, and beside them are, in giant characters, 
the names of Ebubekr, Omar, Osman and Ali, the 
companions of the Arabian impostor. In the dome 
itself is inscribed a verse of the Koran,—“ God is the 
light of the heavens and the earth.” These words are 
illuminated on the nights of the Ramazen by a large 
number of lamps. The cupola is lighted by twenty- 
four windows. The Minher , or pulpit, where prayer 
for the Sultan is read on Friday, lias two flags, one on 
each side, to denote the triumph of Tslamism over 
Judaism and Christianity. The pulpit for instruction, 
but which is seldom employed, was given by Sultan 
Murad IV.; and it rests on, I think, four marble 
columns. 

On one column of this church is a large impression 
of a hand, made, it is said, by one of the early Sultans; 
and there is a popular notion that when that impres¬ 
sion disappears the Turkish power will pass away. 

Two large vases, or fountains of water, are placed 
here, the gift of Murad III., for the refreshment of 
worshippers. The Sultan’s seat is elevated, and en¬ 
closed in a gilded lattice-work. Many of the priests 
seem to live here day and night, and we saw many of 
the Turks reclining at full length on the floor, some 
evidently asleep, Several of the faithful were reciting 



266 


MOSQUE OF ST. SOPHIA. 

their prayers in a loud and monotonous tone; and their 
eyes followed us in all our movements, with no very 
benignant expression. Certainly, if I had not placed 
implicit faith in the virtue of the firman, I should have 
had serious apprehensions of our personal safety. Never 
did I see men scowl at their fellow-men as did some 
of these worthies upon our ladies, as they walked 
through the mosque. We left it with emotions of 
thankfulness that men are not always to believe a lie, 
and glad to know that the crescent must surely give 
way to the cross, and the Crucified One yet prove the 
resistless attractions of his deathless love bv drawing 
all men unto him. 




YYV 




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A 



267 


CHAPTER XXI. 


&OSQUR OF ACHMET—MUZZEIIf’S CALL—COSTUMES OF THE JANISSARIES 
EEV. AIR. BENJAMIN — TOMB OF SULTAN MAHMOUD — BAZAARS — 
SHOPPING— VISIT TO THE ENGLISH YACHT SYLPHIDE — TURKISH 
VISITORS — AMERICAN MISSIONARIES — EXCURSION TO SCUTARI — 
HOWLING DERVISHES — CEMETERY — WEDDING — BULGURLU — 
SCENERY — CHALCEDON — A KIOSK —HOUSE IN WHICH THE LATE 
SULTAN DIED — SOLDIERS COMING IN FROAt ASIA — DARK RIDE — 
SAIL TO BEBEK—AFFECTING INCIDENT—VILLAGE OF BEBEK—MIS¬ 
SION PREMISES—EDUCATION OF BOYS IN MECHANICAL ARTS—PER¬ 
SECUTION—MR. HAMLIN—ARMENIAN PRIEST—THE FAMILY CIRCLE 
—“LIGHT ON THE DARK RIVER”—MISS LOVELL—ME. MIN ASIAN. \ 

We continued our exploration by a visit to the Mosque 
of Achmet. This building has one peculiarity: it is 
the only mosque in the empire with six minarets, and 
has two more than the famous one at Mecca. The 
location of this beautiful edifice is on a part of the 
ancient Hippodrome. The most impressive feature, on 
entering the mosque, is the group of massive columns 
which support the dome. The circumference of each 
of these four columns is not less than thirty-six yards. 
The cupola of the great dome is surrounded by four 
half-cupolas, each of which is joined by two entirely 
round cupolas, which form behind the four enormous 
pillars the four corners of the mosque, which therefore 
appears on the outside to be composed of nine cupolas. 
The Minber is a copy of the pulpit at Mecca, and is 
surmounted with a gilt crown, and over this a crescent. 
This mosque is the richest in Constantinople, and its 
treasures are said to be immense. As we entered it 
the Muzzeins were calling aloud the hour of prayer 
from the minaret. 


O 4 O 
tJ A 



5568 JANISSARIES—REV, MR. BENJAMIN. 


In our morning perambulation we met with every 
variety of costume. The full-bearded Turk, with the 
old turban, which is much less common than it was a 
few years ago,—the Tez cap is everywhere seen ; the 
smart-looking Armenian, with his well-to-do air; the 
ill-clad Jew; Albanians in gay apparel; beggars of all 
ages; women, with their white yashmak and fancy- 
colored robe, shuffling along in their yellow boots ; 
even the colored women wear the yashmak. 

We now took carriages and proceeded to the gallery 
containing the costumes of the janissaries ; and here we 
passed a delightful hour. The massacre of this for¬ 
midable body v r as ordered by the late Sultan Mahmoud 
II., and it took place on the 15th of June, 1823. They 
would not brook the idea of reform, and had so long 
been accustomed to guide the councils of the Sultan, 
and even change the person of the sovereign, that 
Mahmoud, who had seen the murder of his cousin and 
predecessor, well understood how precarious w r as his 
hold on the throne, and determined to extirpate this 
proud body, or perish in the undertaking. The At- 
meidan w^as the scene of their slaughter, and the sur¬ 
vivors were sent to distant parts of the empire. 

We received much information, all the morning, from 
our kind friend the llev. Mr. Benjamin, a missionary 
at this city from the American board. Air. B. married 
the sister of Mr. Daniel B. Allen, one of our party. 
He has long resided here, and is w T ell acquainted with 
the objects of interest. 

In this gallery the tigures are life-like, made of wax, 
and dressed in the identical clothing of the different 
orders and offices of the body. The dresses were very 
richly adorned with embroidery and costly trimmings. 
Here, too, were the wax effigies of some Circassians, 
who w T ere very beautiful. On our way here we passed 
the marble mausoleum of Sultan Mahmoud. It is in 
a neat flower-garden, and is surrounded by a richly-gilt 
iron fence. In the interior is a room with large glass 


' : v . bazaa.es —shoppik4, 269 

chandeliers. The coffin is covered with a pall of red 
velvet, embroidered with gold, surmounted by the Fez 
cap of the Sultan, with an aigrette of heron’s feathers, 
looped bv a diamond clasp. v-W ■ i 

Our steps were now turned to the bazaars; and these 
must be seen to be at all understood. They are very 
narrow alleys ; the buildings having iron roots in some 
cases for safety. These alleys are a perfect labyrinth, 
and each trade has its own precincts: thus shawls, 
glass, slippers, mgs, furs, gilt goods, perfumeries, em¬ 
broideries, silks, are all to be found in different 
localities. Up and down the narrow hill-side alley 
you must travel many a weary step in search of arti¬ 
cles; and horses belonging to pachas, and attended by 
servants on foot, are liable to be met at every other 
step. 1 went into several carpet and rug stalls, and found 
their owners cross-legged and sipping coffee, which 
they offered me iu the early period of our negotiations. 
These rugs and carpets are of exquisite fabric, the 
Persian being much finer and more compact in texture 
than the Turkey article. The goods are all placed in 
open sight, and the salesman usually sits on his stand, 
and manifests no anxiety to dispose of liis goods. We 
went to a diamond merchant’s, and certainly, when 
entering the narrow and dirty-looking quarters, should 
never have supposed that such immense wealth was 
there concentrated. Vast quantities of precious stones 
were exposed to our examination, and, a young man 
coming in with a bit of paper, one of the concern 
opened an iron safe, and I saw a box full ot gold coin, 
in which, I suppose, there was at least half a bushel. 
One thousand sovereigns were taken out, but still it 
was a box full of gold. Shopping is a queer business 
in this city. Barely do you give more than half the 
price demanded for anything offered you in the bazaar. 
No sooner did we stop at a stall than we were beset 
until a motley crowd of lookers on,—Jews, Turks, and 
boys of all ages,—revving, Bueksheesh. Then there 




270 VISIT TO THE EKG1T5H YACHT, 3VLPIIIDE. 

were always people waiting to carry your parcels, and 
Jews drumming up for the benefit of other merchants, 
who they know will suit you better. One old Jew, 
named Moses, really pleased me; he seemed to be an 
honest fellow, and certainly knew more about goods 
than the rest of the hangers-on ; he really gave ns 
assistance in the purchase of several articles. Glass, 
boots, shoes, silk goods and jewellery, are all to be 
bought at low prices. The silversmiths are chiefly 
Armenians. Almost every burden is transported in 
the streets of Constantinople upon men’s backs, and 
often did I pity the poor creature who was borne down 
nearly to the earth under a weight which would have 
better suited a horse. 

Satisfied with our purchases, tired with that most 
laborious work, sight-seeing, we were glad to resume 
our carriages at the entrance of the bazaar; and thank¬ 
ful we Were to reach the shore, and place ourselves, 
Turk-fashion, on the cushions of the charming caique, 
which soon propelled us to the yacht. 

Thursday morning, we made an early return-call 
upon Mr. and Mrs. Leyland, on board their yacht, the 
Sylphide. We were received with much courtesy, - 
and spent a very agreeable half* hour in the cabin. We 
were then politely shown over every part of this 
charming craft. I think the internal arrangements of 
this ship hardly allow of improvement. The saloon 
occupied by the ladies had far less the appearance of a 
ship’s cabin than of a parlour in a well-arranged gen* . 
tleman’s mansion. Books, engravings, maps and "works 
of art, adorned the apartment; and the dining-room 
was as completely adapted for comfort as it could have 
been on shore. The access to the state-rooms was 
very well contrived, and they were spacions and 
elegant. The arrangement, I remember, admitted the 
entire suit of rooms being opened to a current of air 
from forward to aft. In the saloon was a fire-place ; 
the panels of the room were mahogany and rosewood 



TURKISH AND OTHER VISITORS. 271 

Elegant book-shelves encircled the base of the mast, 
and on the mantel were Maltese stone vases, tilled with 
flowers of delicious perfume. Sofas of crimson plush 
and comfortable arm-chairs gave a home-like air to the 
apartment. In the state-rooms the beds were swung 
between the ports, and more luxuriant chambers no 
lady could desire. The same comfort extended to the 
rooms of the doctor, and all others that we saw. The 
family, during the summer, Mrs. Leyland told me, 
usually dined upon deck. 

The yacht was weighing anchor and getting ready for 
sea, and when we went on deck we found a pen of 
sheep, just got ready for the voyage; among them I 
noticed a fine specimen of the Cameronian breed, re¬ 
markable for its enormous tail. There was in a seperate 
pen a beautiful dear. He had become such a pet with 
all on board, that his life was to be spared. Playing 
by his side was a noble Newfoundland dog, the favorite 
of his young master. On the upper deck cane-bottomed 
swinging settees gave us pleasant seats for a few min¬ 
utes before we took our leave of this pleasant family 
circle. More perfect taste and elegance I have never 
seen in a sailing ship. 

On our return to our steamer we found the saloon 
filled with visitors. Pachas of all ranks, and officers of 
the Turkish army and navy, Armenian merchants, Eng¬ 
lish aud French residents, were all in strong force ; and, 
in addition to these, several of the American mission¬ 
aries who dwell here and at Bebek, a town on the 
Bosphorus, about five miles east. We were delighted 
to meet with the Rev ; Messrs. Schauffier, Hamlin, 
Dwight, and their amiable families. Mr. Dwight left 
his card for me, but I was not able to meet him. Mr, 
Hamlin was very anxious that Mrs. Choules and I 
should take breakfast with him the next day* andkind’y 
offered to come down and fetch us in a caiqne. To do 
this, he -would have to leave his home at half-past four, 




sxcimsrox ^o scstaej. 


m 

so-that we might have an early repast, and be back to 
the yacht in time to see the Multan attend mosque. 

The turks appeared to enjoy their visit, on board. 
Some o£ them conversed tloeiitly in English and French. 
One pacha, who had been educated in England, had 
charge of the manufacture of tire-arms for the Saltan. 
He was a noble-looking mmri ocf 

After our visitors left, I, in company with Hr. Linsly 
and his lady, Mrs. Cross, Miss Thorne, Mrs. Choules, 
and Mi’. George Vanderbilt, joined our good friend Mr. 
Brown, in an excursion to Scutari. On landing upon 
the Asiatic side, we .noticed a tower, known as the 
Maiden’s Tower, and to which tradition attaches a story. 
We were shown the kiosk where the Sultan fainted 
when he learned the death of a favorite slave, who had 
been poisoned. The Asiatic side is a mile and a quar¬ 
ter from the city, and has a back ground of ricldy- 
cultivated hills, which; are well planted with trees of 
various kinds. We left our boat at the quay, and 
ascended the long and narrow streets of Scutari. Our 
intention was to be present, at the service of the howling 
dervishes. Our janissary went with us, and, after 
threading several wretched lanes, we came to the 
monastery of these strange religionists: Everything 
looked wretched and forlorn. As we entered, the dance 
was closing by the kissing of hands, arid the exhausted 
dervishers; were leaving the hall. We went in ; the 
company was small, the room filthy, and a mean-looking 
divan ran round it. On the walls were hanging various 
implements, cords and irons, and nothing looked like, 
adaption to comfort, but rather a manufactory of 
misery. The retiring brotherhood had a dried-up 
shrivelled expression ; they were lank, and seemed worn 
out. We regretted the loss of the only opportunity to 
witness the extraordinary spectacle. We repaired to a 
coffee shop near by, and seating ourselves on stools 
under a fiun spreading tree, were refreshed with excel* 


CEMETERY—WEDDING. 


273 

lent coffee and line grapes. Mr. Brown’s janissary now 
procured us carriages; they were as gay as red paint 
and gilding could make them. The drivers ran by the 
sides of the carriages. We ascended the hill, and came 
upon the famous cemetery of Scutari. The Turks are 
fearful of being ultimately expelled from Europe, and 
are very anxious to be buried in Asia; so that the 
cemeteries in Scutari are much employed by the inhabi¬ 
tants of Constantinople. The position is certainly 
most charming, and all around are noble groves of 
cypresses. We met with strange-looking vehicles on 
the road, and one araba was filled with a party evidently 
dressed for a festive occasion. It was drawn by four 
white oxen fantastically dressed, and having red tassels 
hanging from a frame over their heads and shonklers. 
One of our carriages broke down, bnt the ladies were 
not injured ; and, leaving the driver to repair his dam¬ 
age and follow on, rve walked up the hill. 

We soon came to a kiosk where a wedding-feast was 
in course of celebration, and a large company seemed 
gathered. Here we saw a number of dancing boys, 
who had been entertaining the guests. The assemblage 
was breaking up as we approached. In about fifteen 
minutes more we ascended the hill which is called 
Bulgurlu, and I am sure that we shall none of us forget 
the scene that opened upon our gaze. Two quarters of 
the world were before us. The evening was balmy, and 
the atmosphere perfectly clear. The panorama is unri- 
valledupon earth. There was Constantinople, the Golden 
Horn lying between her and her sister cities. Off at 
our left are the gardens of the old Byzantium, and the 
white buildings of the seraglio in their front. Off to 
the right there are Bern, Galata and Tophana. There 
are a hundred mosques and minarets; between all this 
and Scutaria there is the Bosphorus, its innumerable 
vessels, and its arrowy caiques ; all along its banks are 
ranges of terraces and rows of houses of different 
colors, each residence surrounded by groves and gardens, 


274 grapes—sultan’s fountain, 

As we stood on this eminence, off to our left lay 
Chalcedony, so famous for a council held here against 
Eutyches; and again to the right, far away in the Bos¬ 
phorus, I could descry the masts of the combined 
Turkish and Egyptian fleets ; and beyond were the dark 
waves of the Euxine. The sun, breaking from his cur¬ 
tains of gold and purple, cast a mellowed glory over 
this wondrous prospect. For more than half an hour 
we sat under the shade of a venerable oak, sipping 
coffee, and gazing upon scenes we were unwilling to 
leave. Close by was a kiosk and a charming garden ; 
it belongs to the physician of the late Sultan. He is 
not in favor, and is regarded as one of a party opposed 
to the present Sultan’s measures. A party was dining 
with him, and we saw the servants carrying in the 
covers. Mr. Brown, who knew the proprietor, obtained 
permission for us to walk in the garden, and a servant 
gathering grapes presented a noble cluster to one of the 
ladies. The grapes were the largest we had yet met 
with, and exquisitely flavored. Close by our shady seat 
was a spring of water, known as the Sultan’s Fountain, 
from which we drank cooling draughts as it flowed up 
from the rock. Here we listened to Mr. Brown’s locali¬ 
zations of the different spots. Directly below us, and 
a little to our left, he pointed out an insignificant 
painted wooden house, of small dimensions, in which 
the late Sultan died. He was brought here for change 
of air, and to be under the eye of his physician. The 
air of the mountains could not give health to the 
monarch of this beautiful land, and he now lies in his 
sumptuous mausoleum. We reluctantly bade adieu ta 
this mountain, and, resuming our carriages, had a long 
down-hill ride in the shades of the evenum. The roads 

o 

are beyond description wretched and full of rocks, and 
it required very little aid of the fancy to believe that 
they had never been repaired since Xerxes travelled 
over them. Dr. Linsly preferred the use of his legs. 
As we went out in the afternoon, I ought to say that 


AFFECTING INCIDENT. 275 

we met a number of soldiers coming in from remote 
places as volunteers for the army. They were warlike- 
looking fellows, well mounted. They came by twos 
and threes, and I supposed we passed fifty or sixty. It 
was pitch dark when we reached the water-side, and 
as we were entering our caiques I lighted my cigar 
from the chibouque of a solemn-looking Turk. °A 
pleasant sail to the yacht closed one of the "most agree¬ 
able excursions that 1 ever remember to have made. 

Friday morning, in accordance with our previous 
engagement, Dr. and Mrs. Linsly and Mrs. Choules 
were all up at four o’clock, in order to be ready when 
Mr. Hamlin should fetch us to Bebek. At five o’clock 
he was alongside, and we at once took our seats in a 
noble caique; and how did we enjoy that quiet morning 
on the beautiful waters of the Bosphorus ! The equi- 
site scenery and the swift sailing were all new to us. 
Rapidly did we glide by the palace of the Sultan and 
Pacha, until, nearing another, we were told of a heart¬ 
rending affair which was identified with magnificence. 
By Ottoman law, the male children of the reigning 
Sultan’s daughters are destroyed at birth. The late 
Sultan Mahmoud had one daughter, to whom he was 
ardently attached. When she arrived at a marriageable 
age, every overture of marriage was declined on her 
part, on this account. At length her father, prompted 
by paternal affection, gave her a sacred writing under 
his own hand and seal, that if she had any sons they 
should be exempt from the universal law. She married, 
and three daughters in succession cheered her heart. 
At length her royal father died, and, soon after, a Son 
was born. Never was the precious treasure suffered 
a moment to be absent from her sight; fully aware of 
the frail tenure of her darling boy on life, she vainly 
hoped by anxious watchfulness on her part to preserve 
the child. Alas ! in absence of all other means, the 
infant’s garments were poisoned, and, seized with con¬ 
vulsions, it expired in her presence, Too fell she un- 



276 MR. HAMLIN—SCHOOL OF THE MISSION. 


derstood the cause; delirium followed the terrible 
consciousness, and in ten days her life was a sacrifice 
to the barbarity of this murderous custom, and she died 
a maniac. “ I was passing the Sultana’s palace,” said 
Mr. Hamlin, “ when the prolonged and awful death- 
wail announced that the tragic scene was over.” It is 
possible lhat the Sultan knew nothing of this sad story 
until all was over. The Turks do not like innovations 
upon their -national habitudes. 

The-entire sail this morning was past a long line of 
palatial kiosks, and in the Bosphorus were innumerable 
vessels of almost every flag. We soon reached Bebek, 
which has a lovely position in a small bay; this is a 
populous village. On the landing are some magnificent 
oaks, and trees which look as if they had the growth 
of two or three hundred years. Dr. arid Mrs. Linsly 
went to the "Rev. Mr. Schauffler’s to breakfast, and we 
accompanied Mr. Hamlin to his abode, which is ro¬ 
mantically situated midway on the hill. The house is 
of wood, painted black, and is of large dimensions. 
It was purchased of a Greek; was built- about fifty 
years ago, as an inscription of date records ; and when 
I asked why it was painted black, I was informed that 
ft was intended by its original proprietor to denote liis 
humble, submissive spirit in relation to the government 
and people. This is the location of the educational 
affairs of the mission, at the head of 'which our friend 
Mr. Hamlin presides. I went into the school-room, 
which was Spacious and well-arranged, having the ne¬ 
cessary apparatus for imparting knowledge. The pre¬ 
sent number of pupils, who are boys of different ages, 
up to twenty, is fifty-four. On the premises are shops 
ard out-houses for mechanical purposes. The pupils 
are taught to make stoves, pipes, watering-pots, &e., 
for all of which a ready sale is secured. A steam- 
engine of considerable power is-on the premises, and a 
building is now going up for a bakery, which is an 
operation that can only be carried on in -Turkey under 


EDUCATION IN MECHANICAL ARTS. 277 

a special firman from the Sultan. This privilege is 
allowed to every embassy, and has been recently 
claimed by Mr. Marsh, our minister at Constantinople, 
and made over to the institution at Bebek. This will 
be a very profitable employment, and of great benefit 
to the school. Several of the pupils have been sent to 
America to improve themselves in the mechanical arts, 
and on their return have proved eminently useful. 

Much persecution is endured by the Christians, not 
so much from the Turks as from the Catholie part of the 
Armenians. They are, almost in all instances, thrown 
out of the way of obtaining business. Mr. Hamlin 
stated that the night before a man called upon him to 
procure employment; he was a tailor. A few months 
before, he had united with the church; he had now no 
means of supporting his family, because, since his 
conversion, all his trade has been withdrawn, orders 
previously given for clothes were countermanded, and 
he could not support his family unless he could obtain 
employment from the work-shops of the mission. 

I was exceedinuly pleased with the aspect of the 
premises. Everything looked like good management 
and thrift. Mr. Hamlin is an extraordinary man; he 
has great mechanical talents, and appears perfectly at 
home among brick, mortar, lathes and steam-engines. 
The engine is of his own construction. The interior 
of the house showed that strict frugality was the rule 
of the domestic economy. The furniture was plain,— 
exceedingly so; and 1 did wish that those who com¬ 
plain about the luxury of missionary life could have 
seen this establishment. The breakfast-table was a 
cheerful spectacle. Everything was neat, but far from 
luxurious, and certainly was only what every New 
England country pastor, who has four or five hundred 
dollars a year, would have daily on his morning table. 
We had the pleasure to meet at breakfast with an aged 
Armenian priest, who, on account of his embracing 
evamrelical truth, had been subjected to deprivation of 

^ * n v, 


278 


{f LIGHT ON THE DA UK III VEIL ” 

office and the grossest personal indignities. - He is now 
the faithful and efficient deacon of a church in the coun¬ 
try, and has a high character for piety and usefulness. 
He is a most venerable'looking man, and would make a 
good study for a painter. Mr. Hamlin’s daughters are 
tine girls; they have never seen America, and they will 
excite the interest of hundreds and thousands in 
Christian America who may peruse the most fascinating 
piece of female biography of our day, in a volume just 
published by Messrs. Ticknor and Co., of Boston, 
called “ Light on the Bark River.” The volume is the 
life of the late Mrs. Hamlin, the mother of these dear 
girls. This work is written by Mrs. Lawrence, a 
daughter of the Rev. Dr. Woods, of Andover, and is, 
beyond all question,, one of the most charming and 
pathetic productions recently issued from the press. 
X wish I could think that my notice of this little 
volume might induee some who have never seen it to 
at once do themselves the pleasure and benefit. Mr. 
Hamlin has married again, and his lady was well known 
ns Miss Lovell to American Christians, from her de¬ 
voted labors as a teacher in Turkey. When Mr. 

«/ 

Goodell visited the American churche 0 a lew months 
ago, and made his touching appeals to ns on behalf of 
Turkey, he often stated the successful labors of this 
gifted and energetic lady. I have no doubt that he 
was correct when he said that probably she had done 
more good by her efforts than most ministers who had 
remained at home in her native state of New York. 
Seated at the table, I told Mr. Hamlin how deeply I 
was interested in listening to Mr. Goodell’s warm¬ 
hearted and simple statements about Miss Lovell, and 
expressed my wish to see hCr. He smiled, a lady 
blushed, and I was again presented to Mrs. Hamlin as 
the late Miss Lovell. Long may these excellent friends 
live to toil and labor for the good of Turk, Greek and 
Armenian ! The Great Day will pronounce their 
blessedness! 



SEMINARY AT BEBEK. 


279 


On our return, we were accompanied by Mr. S, M. 
Minasian, a former pupil of this school, and who, 
having passed some years in America, now carries on 
business in Constantinople. He was our kind guide 
for the day, and greatly aided Mrs. C. in obtaining 
articles Which, she wished to purchase. I would earn¬ 
estly commend this gentleman to all Americans who 
may visit Constantinople as one who will gladly render 
them the most valuable services, and on Avhose know¬ 
ledge, judgment and integrity, they may most impli¬ 
citly depend. On our way back to the yacht we saw 
many of those small brown birds which are so common 
in the Bosphorus, and are supposed by the Turks to be 
“ lost spirits. 55 They are continually on the wing, 
wending their way from the Black Sea to that of 
Marmora. 

Our reason for returning so early to the yacht was to 
see the Grand Sultan go to mosque; and then, after 
that pageant was enjoyed, we were to go through the 
Bosphorus up to the Black Sea, and have a sight of 
the combined fleets of Turkey and Egypt. 

The Protestant community in Turkey, as far as it 
consists of native subjects of the Porte, is principally 
Armenian, and contains about three thousand five hun¬ 
dred. There are seventeen churches, and a large 
number of common schools. The seminary, at Bebek 
is designed to furnish teachers, pastors and translators, 
for this community, and for the extension of missionary 
labor. The course of instruction at Bebek embraces a 
period of five years, except for those who have tho¬ 
roughly studied their own language previous to enter¬ 
ing the institution; in such cases the term is lessoned 
one year. x 

LANGUAGES. 

Ancient and modern Armenian, Turkish, Greek and 
English. The Armenian, Turkish and Greek, are 
spoken languages of the country, and demand far less 
time than the English. . 


2 b 2 



SEMINARY AT BEBEK. 



MATHEMATICS. 

Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, mea¬ 
suring heights and distances, surveying. 

PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 

The following texts-books are used in courses of 
experimental lectures : 

Olmsted’s School Philosophy, Smillie’s Philosophy 
of Natural History, Silliman’s Chemistry, Herschel’s 
Astronomy. The lessons are prepared in English text¬ 
books, but are recited in Armenian, in which language 
the lectures are delivered. 

INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL SCIENCE, AND RELIGIOUS 

INSTRUCTION. 

TJpham’s Intellectual Philosophy; Upliam on the 
"Will; Wayland’s Moral Science; Paley’s Evidences ; 
Philosophy of the pl«n of Salvation ; Butler’s Analogy; 
a Theological lecture Wednesday Evening; Sermon on 
Sabbath morning; Exposition Sabbath afternoon; 
Bible-class and Prayer-meeting in the evening. 

Geography, Rhetoric and Plistory, are studied in 
connection with the Armenian coarse, in that language. 

After going through this preparatory course, such as 
are fitted by talent and influenced by grace to under¬ 
take the work of the ministry commence theological 
study in a separate and additional course. 

I have already alluded to a manual-labor department 
in the school, and which has grown to great importance. 
In a stone magazine, used by the Greek proprietor as 
a wine-cellar, are fitted up a japanning oven and cam- 
phene factory. The machine-shop is in excellent order; 
and there are assaying furnaces and a blacksmith’s 
forge. In addition there is now a bakery, granary, 
flour-mill and a last-factory. Thus labor is furnished 
for ten or twelve persons, and a large amount of 
profitable employment for the students, most materially 
lessening the expense. 

This course of operation, it is probable, will intro- 


281 


SEMINARY A?r BEBEK. 

duce the useful arts, with their modern improvements 
anti machinery, into the country, so as- to raise the 
Protestants in public esteem. Many of the students 
are now engaged in the useful arts in. Constantinople: 
and, if they succeed, those who have formerly been 
excluded from labor by the combined influence of the 
Armenians—both Greeks and Catholics—will attain 
respectability and comfort. ( 

Six pupils have been ordained as pastors or evange¬ 
lists j" two licensed to preach. Six are now studying 
theology, and several are engaged as proofreaders, 
translators and teachers. 

The manual-labor department has' been carried on 
without any support from the missionary society. 
Many travellers, and, T am happy to say, some of our 
North Star party, have cheerfully placed a few stones 
in the structure. English merchants and residents 
have been generous, I learn, in aiding the good work, 
and the American legation has always been kind and 
liberal. T found the missionaries all unite' in expressions 
of kind respect for the important services of Mr. 
Brown whilst acting as Charge* d’Affaires in Mr. 
Marsh’s absence in Greece. The Bakery will be fully 
equal to ten scholarships. 

The editing and printing of missionary matter is 
done at Constantinople. At present there is in press, 
T learn from my valued friend Kev. Mr. Benjamin, an 
edition of the New Testament in ancient Armenian $ 
Elavil on keeping the Heart; Lucilla; lives of the 
Patriarchs and Prophets, hi Armenian and Turkish ; a 
Bible Dictionary; Commentaries on separate books of 
Scripture ; and a newspaper, in Armenian, will soon 
appear. A boarding-school for girls is established at 
Hasskerry, and contains about thirty pupils. 

It gives me great happiness to bear my testimony to 
the sense which I cherish of the vast importance of 
these labors, and the fidelity and zeal ih which they 
are evidently discharged. 


282 


THE StJLTAtf. 

Mr. Hamlin has just put up an electric telegraph at 
the Sultan’s palace, and during his engagement had 
much opportunity to see and converse with the Sultan, 
of whom lie speaks as being mild and gentlemanly, 
conversing fluently in French, and tolerably well in 
English. 

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin have been seventeen years 
at Athens and Smyrna, and now reside in Constanti¬ 
nople. They have a chapel in their own house, and 
service three times on the Lord’s day, in Armenian. 
Mr. Benjamin preaches, and is occupied in translating 
books. 


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CHAPTER XXII. 

BtLTAN GOING TO MOSQUE—CAIQUES—STEAMBOAT CHARTERED—EXCUR- 
SION UP THE BOSPHORUS — EUROPEAN BANK—TURKISH AND EGYP-". 
TIAN FLEETS—SVMPLEGADES—BLACK SKA—ASIATIC COAST—LAND 

• a i* v . r * '• 

AT KANDALI—RETURN TO YACHT — DEPARTURE FROM CONSTANTS 
NOPLE —VOYAGE TO GIBRALTAR—ARRIVAL AT THE ROCK—APPEAR¬ 
ANCE OF ROCK AND TOWN—THE METHODIST CHAPEL—REV. W. H. 

i, x 

BIDWELL—STREETS AND MARKETS—SHOPS AND GOODS—EXCURSION 
TO THE ROCK — ENGLISH OFFICERS — ST. GEORGE’S HALL — ST. MI¬ 
CHAEL’S CAVE—MONKEYS—DINNER AT MR. SPRAGUE’S—HISTORICAL 
NOTICES—SMUGGLERS SHOT — PROFFERED HOSPITALITIES—EXCUR¬ 
SION TO THE CORK WOODS—“ CHARLEY,” THE MOORISH MEBCHANT 
—DINNER WITH THE FORTY*FODRTH REGIMENT—VISITORS TO THE 
YACHT. 


Friday is the Turkish Sabbath ; and every Friday 
the Suit an goes in state to some of the numerous 
mosques of the city or neighbourhood. On this 
occasion he had selected the mosque in Galata, close 
by our yacht. At about ten we saw the imperial 
caiques going up to the marble palace to fetch the 
Sultan and his suite All the ships of war and 
vessels of commerce were richly decked with flags. 
An Austrian steamer was one mass of colored bunt¬ 
ing. The North Star was gaily caparisoned for the 
day, and looked finely. I have never seen so much 
river show and display, since the 4th November, 
1825, when the Erie Canal celebration came off at 
New York. 

Presently there is the loud booming of cannon 
from the Seraglio Point, and it is echoed and re¬ 
echoed from Scutari and the hills back ot the cities. 
Finer echos I never listened to. Hark ! there are 
ten thousand reverberations for every ship in the 




284 


SULTAN GOING TO MOSQUE. 


Bosphorus, and every fort in Stamboul is discharging 
guns in rapid succession. 

There come the ciaques,—four of the ■ most grace¬ 
ful creations of art that I ever saw. They are very 
long—at least eighty feet,—and are in color of white 
and gold, each with beautiful canopies in the stern. 
They move with vast rapidity, impelled by twenty- 
eight oarsmen. In the third caique sat the Sultan 
on his throne, under a velvet canopy; and with our 
glasses we saw him distinctly. Our yacht gave a sa¬ 
lute of twenty-one guns as the procession passed. On 
arrival at the wharf the oars were uplifted, and the 
shore lined with troops. The Sultan lands, and several 
of our party in a caique are close by, and see him dis¬ 
tinctly. He is in European dress,—blade frock coat 
and pantaloons, — and wears the Fez cap. As he 
steps on shore, every one bends lowdy and gracefully- 
in salutation. He walks through the ranks ; the noise 
of cannon ceases, and the crowd quickly disperses as 
he enters the house of prayer. A richly-dressed and 
very able band received the Sultan as he landed. 
Several boats kept around the aquatic procession, 
and 1 noticed men holding up papers in their hands ; 
and to these boats two or three of the smaller ones of 
the royal cortege immediately pulled up, and took the 
papers. These were petitions to the Sultan, and which 
are never rejected. Every one has the right to appeal 
to the Suit an-in this way. 

Mr. Vanderbilt did not like to risk taking the North 
Star up the Bosphorus, as it is so thronged with all 
descriptions of vessels; and he deemed it best to char¬ 
ter a small steamboat for our party. This was done at 
an expense of about sixty dollars. 

As the Sultan was again entering his caique, after 
short services at the mosque, we moved slowly and bore 
off, that we might again see the ruler of this great peo¬ 
ple. He returned with less splendor, — only with 
two caiques. He sat under a red umbrella, and w’e 


EXCURSION UP THE BOSPHORUS. 285 

could see him to advantage. He landed at the new 
palace, which is nearly finished, and we went on. 

Far up on the high hill on our left, commanding a 
glorious prospect, stands the military school. The Se¬ 
raglio Point and the Golden Horn are now left behind. 
Our boat hugs the European side, so that with our 
opera-glasses we can note every object of interest; but 
it is impossible to do justice to the surpassing beauty of 
this ever-changing panorama. Long rows of marble 
palaces, with gardens of great beauty, kiosks, mosques, 
high hills, clothed with the richest shades of foilage, 
and thickly sprinkled with princely residences, meet the 
eye at every glance on either side. There is a noble 
palace, built by the late Sultan for his son, now on the 
throne. When Mahmoud died, it was not quite finished, 
—lacked the upper story ; in accordance with the cus¬ 
tom, it has never been resumed, is fast going to de¬ 
cay, and one of these days it will be hinted that it 
looks badly, and a lighted coal will be quietly drop¬ 
ped into its apartments, and it will disappear. It is 
of wood, as a prejudice exists against stone ; and 
the new palace, now in course of erection, is the only 
marble one in the empire. We now approached the 
palace of Mahmoud, which had been unoccupied 
since his death. Just beyond is a long range of co¬ 
lumns shooting up from low buildings, which resem¬ 
ble cupolas. These are chimneys of the imperial kit¬ 
chens, and next is a fine edifice, which is the Sultan’s 
present home, and into which he removed just before 
his father’s death. And now come the abodes of vizier, 
pacha and state officers ; the palace of the late Sultana 
Valide, the mother of the present Sultan ; those of his 
sisters; and here are the brazen gates of that unfortu¬ 
nate one whose sad end I have alluded to before. Now 
we are on a point of the Bosphorus of great historical 
interest. These towers of Europe and Asia mark the 
spot where Darius, and afterwards the Crusaders, 
crossed the Bosphorus. Here are the fortifications 




286 TURKISH AND EGYPTIAN FLEET. 

built by the latter. On the bold European cliff stands 
the tower built by Mahomed II., when, as conqueror, 
lie entered Europe. The strait is very narrow, and the 
view both up and down the water gloriously beautiful. 
High projecting cliffs, not rough and cragged, but 
clothed with soft verdure; hills and slopes dotted with 
imposing habitations; smiling villages adorned with 
cypress, plane and olive tress, make up the prospect. 

About two miles from the Black Sea we came to a 
fine bay, in which lay at anchor the noble fleet of Tur¬ 
key and Egypt. They are exceedingly fine-looking 
ships ; some of them are of immense size. One—the 
Mahmoud—is a four-decker, and looks as large as any 
ship I ever saw. They all have the old square-built sterns, 
with side-galleries. I reckoned about thirty ships, 
and there were probably not fewer than ten or twelve 
steamers, and a vast number of tenders and other craft 
engaged in supplies for the fleet. 

Hot far from this spot is Therapia, a most charming- 
retreat, wheie the foreign ministers reside in the sum¬ 
mer. Here, I suppose, was Mr. Marsh, of whom we 
saw nothing during our stay. 

The light - house on the mouth of the Bosphorus, 
at the entrance to the Black Sea, was the limit of 
our excursion east. Just opposite to it Are the Sym- 
plegades of mythology. We now came down the 
Asiatic side, passing the fortress of Biva; the Cape 
of Jum Burun; Poiras,—which fortress stands oppo¬ 
site to the European castle; Anatoli; the Giant’s 
Mountain, which is the loftiest elevation on the Bos¬ 
phorus ; Unkiar Skelessi, or the landing place of 
the Sultan, and once a favorite resort of royalty, 
but now the site of a paper-mill; Begkos, a pretty 
village ; Sultania, a pleasant bend of the Bosphorus ; 
Kandali, the most beautiful place on the Asiatic side, 
and renowned for the purity of the air. Here we all 
landed, so that the entire party might claim to have 
been in Asia. We were politely invited to visit a man- 



DEPART'DRE FROM CONSTANTINOPLE. 287 

sion on the MM, owned, by a French gentleman, bat our 
time would not permit. We took coffee at the little 
cafe on the dock. 1 never saw a place where I so 
longed to tarry, and enjoy the unnumbered beauties of 
the scene. Every word that Murray says is true. 
“ Yam is the attempt to describe the separate or col¬ 
lective beauties of hills and dales ; of bights and bays; 
of meadows and springs; of dark cypress groves and 
light rosebeds; of roaring currents and flowing streams; 
of golden kiosks and marble fountains ; this confusion 
of flag-bearing masts and towering minarets; of cu¬ 
polas floating in air, and caiques cleaving the waves,” 
From the eminence you can see the Buxine and the sea 
of Marmora by only turning vour head. Again in our 
little steamer, we passed bv several charming places, as 
Begler-beg, Istawros and Kusghundschik, which is hard 
by Scutari; and at five o’clock we were on board the 
North Star, having spent a day which is ever to be re¬ 
membered by us with pleasure in future life. 

We now prepared for our departure, and Mr. Gia- 
combo, our kind and indefatigable agent, was busy 
with us putting our supplies on board. At six. o’clock 
we took leave of Mr. and Mrs. Brown, to whose 
friendly attentions we were much indebted during our 
short s^ay. 

We lefc Constantinople August 26, at eight o’clock 
P.M., with the finest weather. 

In the sea of Marmora we passed Mr. Levland’s 
yacht, w’hich sailed fortv hours before us. Our back 
course lay to the north of Tenedos, and we steered be¬ 
tween that island and Lemnos, and made for the Doro 
Straits, leaving St. Estraite and Skiros to the north¬ 
ward. Passing the Sea of Candi, we steered between 
Zea and Macronisi, and directed our course for St. An¬ 
gelo and Matapan. Never, perhaps, -was weather more 
propitious than we now had it, and our progress was 
rapid. On the 28th, we observed divine service. On 
the 29th; at two P.M., we passed Cape Fassaro and the 





288 


ROCK OF GIBRALTAR. 


rocky shore of Sicily near Cape Scalambra, a few villa¬ 
ges dotting the coast. The 30th, we made the island 
of Panlellaria, known to the ancients as Cossyra ; it is 
about thirty miles in circumference, and is of volcanic 
origin. Passing to the north of this island, we steered 
up to Cape Bon, on the Coast of Africa; and here the 
weather became too intensely hot for comfort, and 
coats and neckcloths were oppressive. 

Heading north and by west for Cape Bianco, we 
thence steamed westerly, and at noon on 31st we were 
off Cape Mavera light, having passed the island of 
Galita, and made a west course along the coast of Al¬ 
giers, which we passed September 1st, at noon, the 
weather hazy, so that we only saw the outline of the 
shore. At twelve o’clock, on the 2nd, we were just 
north of the small island or rock of Alboran, and in 
the evening there came up a terrible thunder-storm, 
accompanied by a gale from the westward. Our ship 
behaved well; but it was decidedly a rough night, and 
the breeze came on us charged with the cold air of the 
Atlantic, and felt very different from the atmosphere 
we had enjoyed for the past month. We lay off the 
harbor of Gibraltar at half-past twelve, thus performing 
our voyage from Constantinople to the Rock in seven 
days; a thing which has never before occurred,—yet 
we only used two boilers, and had the power to have 
made the passage in five and a half. The distance was 
one thousand eight hundred and forty miles. 

All ships coming from the Levant are compelled to 
undergo a quarantine. We were kindly limited to one 
clay, and during that time suffered to commence coal¬ 
ing. We had abundant opportunity, during this quiet 
time, to notice the position of the celebrated town and 
its circumjacent country. 

At first sight we can hardly believe that the rock is 
connected with the main land; but, on inspection, 
there is seen a long, low, sandy bar, which unites it to 
Spain, and is well known as the neutral ground. The 



GIBRALTAR 
























































































































































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SCENERY OF THE BAY. 


289 


rock is two and three-quarter miles in length, and 
about three-quarters of a mile wide. The side towards 
the Mediterranean is almost perpendicular, and so is 
the north side. The side towards the harbor has a 
very gentle ascent from the water, and then at once be¬ 
comes precipitous. At the south end of the rock are 
two different planes of the formation ; the upper one is 
called Windmill Hill; the most elevated spot above 
these planes is called O’Hara, after the general of that 
name. It is above the lower plane that the 44th regi¬ 
ment is in barracks. The telegraph station is, I think, 
very nearly at the middle of the rock. It is remark¬ 
able that though the side is so inclined, and almost 
precipitous, yet the water rarely reaches the town, even 
after violent rains. The mountain is full of caverns, 
and from these the water is discharged by unknown 
caverns into the sea. From the rock there is a pros¬ 
pect which includes four kingdoms ;—in Europe, Spain; 
in Africa, Morocco, Eez and Barbary. 

The scenery of the bay is delightful, and St. Koque 
stands on a hill at the foot of a mountain range which 
stretches away north and west. Further east are the 
lofty mountains of the Sierra de Honda. West of the 
rock, and at the head of the bay, is the charming white- 
looking town of Algeciras. This was for a long time 
the Moorish key to the possession of Spain, but it was 
captured by Alonzo XI., in 1344, after a protracted 
siege of nearly two years. It is a neat town, with 
about fifteen thousand inhabitants, and there is frequent 
intercourse between it and Gibraltar, and boats are 
continually crossing the bay,—a distance of less than 
ten miles. 

Looking off from the bay, there are the lofty moun¬ 
tains of Barbary, which bear such a marked resem¬ 
blance to Gibraltar that it has been supposed that a 
separation has been produced by some great convulsion 
of nature in former ages. This theory has been sup¬ 
ported by the circumstance that monkeys arc found in 


290 


METHODIST CHAPEL. 


great numbers upon tlie rock, and in no other part of 
Europe. There, too, as we look away at Africa, is the 
island fortress of Ceuta, which belongs to Spain, and 
where some of the Cuban prisoners are still confined. 
On entering the harbor, we found that our expected 
supply of coals from Wales had arrived in three Bristol 
schooners. Mr. Sprague, the United States consul, 
came to us, and, in the kindest possible manner, prof¬ 
fered his services, and placed his mansion at our dis¬ 
posal. During the dirty operation of coaling, most of 
our party took up quarters at the Club-house. 

September 4th was a charming day, and, it being 
the Sabbath, I felt desirous to visit the Methodist 
chapel, of which a beloved friend, fellow-townsman, 
and fellow-collegian, had once been pastor, and fell at 
Ids post, a victim to the yellow fever, in the year 1828. 
We made a little party, and found the chapel. It is a 
very neat edifice, and the officiating clergyman delivered 
an excellent sermon. The principal part of the audi¬ 
ence was composed of soldiers, who were accompanied 
by their officers, and appeared very devout and atten¬ 
tive,—as they might be, while listening to such admi¬ 
rable instruction. I had the melancholy pleasure of 
standing by the marble mural tablet which records the 
faithful services and the early death of the Dev. Wil¬ 
liam Barber. On returning to the hotel, I enjoyed the 
unexpected pleasure of again meeting with my valued 
friend the Bev. Mr. Bidwell, who had parted from us 
in Paris on his tour through Prance and Spain, which 
he spoke of as fatiguing; and very evidently lie had 
toiled hard and suffered much in crossing the Pyrenees. 
Pie was to depart that evening for Cadiz, by the steamer; 
and since my return I have read with great interest 
the capital letters which he has furnished to the Neio 
York Evangelist ,—a paper owned by him, and conducted 
in a manner which renders it a welcome visitor in every 
house it enters. 

Monday was a busy day, and I made a general sur» 


MAIN STREET—ALAMEDA. 


291 

Vey ol the place. The population of Gibraltar, inclu¬ 
sive of the garrison, is more than twenty thousand. 
The landing is on a good dock, outside the gates; and 
here is a capital fish and fruit market, in which we 
made daily observations. Every description of fruit 
was in profusion and perfection. Peaches, plums, 
grapes, lemons and pomegranates, were all fine, but no 
such nectarines as we found at Malta, and which were 
very superior to any I have ever seen in England, 
Prance, or in the United States. 

On passing the gates, where the custom-house offi¬ 
cers were very polite, we came into a square, where the 
soldiers were quartered in considerable numbers; and 
their fine, athletic figures, healthy appearance and neat 
uniform, presented quite a contrast to the Turkish sol¬ 
diery. We now came into the main street, which is 
long and rather narrow, and full of shops. Many of 
these are well supplied. This is a free port, and goods 
are consequently quite reasonable. To the left of the 
rock, and above the town, stand the remains of an 
old Moorish castle, built in the eighth century, and 
which is supposed to be the earliest trace of occupancy 
now left in Gibraltar. Par to the right, and higher, 
stands the signal-post, from which vessels on approach 
are reported to the town. Above the densely-built 
town are stationed the barracks; and there is the go¬ 
vernor’s house, with its fine garden, and just below lies 
the Alameda. What a strange medley of characters the 
streets present! Here are white-turbaned, wliite- 
trousered and petticoated Moors; keen-bargaining 
black-eyed Jews ; swarthy Spaniards ; bright-tartaned 
Highlanders ; gayly-dressed English officers, beautiful 
women in mantillas, and red-coated soldiers, at every 
step. The streets are all alive with a busy, bustling 
population. 

Our party are watched closely by the shopkeepers, 
and a good-looking Jew has caught the ladies; we fill his 
shop, and even crowd his back-room. The shelves and 

2 c 2 


29£ EXCURSION TO THE TOP OF THE ROCK. 

counters are loaded with Spanish and Moorish curiosi¬ 
ties. Andalusian scarfs, embroidered table-covers, 
Malaga figures, costumes, cushions, slippers, vases, 
coral, silks, old laces, china, and I don’t know what 
else, were the sore temptations. One thing I do know, 
that before the ladies left they had well-nigh emptied 
the store. 

But we had an engagement at the consul’s, and the 
party gathered there by appointment. The plan 'was 
to see the rock, and a number of English officers were 
at Mr. Sprague’s to escort the ladies. Mules, donkeys 
and horses, were in front of the mansion in great force, 
and on a burning day some thirty persons made the 
ascent. 

Indisposition hindered me from going, but I give 
the narrative as it was given me, on the return of the 
pilgrim band. The officers were Messrs. Brown, Hig¬ 
gins, Turner, Thornhill, and others whose names I can¬ 
not now recall. The cavalcade I watched as it slowly 
wound up the hill, and I last saw the party on the 
winding ascent leading to the excavations, and then re¬ 
traced my steps. 

The party was greatly delighted with the galleries 
cut in the rock, which are wide enough for mounted 
cannon to be dragged through with ease, and reeeivc 
light from port-holes cut in the sides, through which 
the murderous cannon are pointed. Leaving the mules 
and horses to join them at the summit, the ladies and 
gentlemen ascended a spiral staircase, which led them 
to St. George’s Hall, which is a large circular apart¬ 
ment, with a vaulted stone roof; the sides and flooring 
are of the solid rock, and from this apartment several 
large cannon shoot out of the embrasures, Stepping 
upon one of them, our friends looked down from this 
dizzy elevation upon the beach and harbor, and ob¬ 
tained a noble view of the adjacent country. The town 
lay beneath them as an extended map, and every house 
and garden was clearly defined, The African coast 


- DESCENT FEOM THE ROCK* 393 

appeared in all its lreauty, and tlie vast Abyln lifted 
its dark form against the bright back-ground of a 
tropical sky. 

After a protracted enjoyment of this exquisite pros¬ 
pect, the march was resumed, until the signal-station 
was reached; and here, through the thoughtful atten¬ 
tion of the officers, a pleasant lunch had been provided. 
Here the horses and other animals were waiting, and 
again put into requisition; and a circuitous path led 
to St, MichaeTs Cave, the entrance to which is through 
a ftssure in tho side of the rock, barricaded with boards. 
Tins is a large and lofty -circular room; from the roof 
immense stalactites are hanging, which reflected the 
light shining from the pine-knot torches. The ground 
was very damp, and even wet. Oil the mountain sides 
are vast numbers of goats, which browse the scanty 
herbage. The eastern side, which is inaccessible from 
its perpendicularity, is the safe home of the monkey pop¬ 
ulation, who arc. ill quiet possession of their fastnesses, 
and arc never permitted to receive molestation. During 
the prevalence of a Levanter, or north-east wind, they 
occasionally appear upon the rock. The party was gra¬ 
tified by obserying one whose large size and grizzled 
head denoted him as a patriarch in his tribe. 

The path down the mountain was delightful. The 
most charming scenery discovered itself at every turn¬ 
ing of the serpentine pathway, in which were some 
places so narrow as to afford no more than necessary 
foothold for a single horse, and a false step of the ani¬ 
mal would have involved the certain death of its rider. 
The return was through the charming Alameda, after 
passing the pleasant residence and gardens of the go¬ 
vernor, and the Jews’ burying-ground. 

On reacliing the town,. w r e all met, at four o’clock, 
at Mr. Sprague’3, where he had prepared an elegant 
dinner. The table was covered with every luxury that 
the climate furnishes. £he game and fruits were in 
rich profusion, and the dessert was principally furnished 




294 imtoiuc x oil(J b— s m t gg \A n G . 

from his country house and gardens. The hospitalities 
of this day are inscribed upon our memories. Mr. 
Sprague is a gentleman of the most polished address, 
resides in a noble mansion, and is the worthy successor 
of his honored father in an office which he long held to 
the credit of his country. The mother of Mr. Sprague 
did the honors of the table with great dignity, and 
our ladies probably enjoyed the day as much as any 
hey had passed upon the excursion. Mrs. Sprague’s 
daughters were in Boston, on a visit to a sister who re¬ 
sides there. Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt earnestly pressed 
Mrs. Sprague to join the party in our yacht, and allow 
her children the surprise of a visit; but she had never 
crossed the ocean, and feared to make the voyage. 

The annals of the Bock afford interesting passages 
n relation to this place, so long in possession of the 
Moors. Wrested from them by conquest, it remained 
n the hands of Spain, in spite of various attempts on 
the part of the Moors to regain this stronghold. The 
following dates may be useful as affording a key to the 
history of the renowned fortress. 

Gebal Tank, the Berber chief, landed here 711. It 
was taken from the Moors 1309. Becaptured by the 
Moors 1333. Taken by Guzman, a Spaniard, 1462, 
and became part of the Spanish crown 1502. Fortified 
by Charles V. 1552. Captured by the English, under 
Admiral Booke, 1704. Stood a seige against France 
1783, and was defended by Elliot. The force of this 
garrison is about one thousand pieces of cannon, and 
the fortress in siege would require ten or twelve thousand 
men. At present the garrison is about four thousand 
five hundred men. 

A great deal of smuggling goes on here, by men who 
carry articles into Spain. This morning, September 6, 
a sad occurrence took place; at early daylight one man 
was found dead and two others mortally wounded, on 
the sandy bar known as the neutral ground.. They had 
been pursued by the Spanish revenue force, aiicf shot 


A EICMC tN THE COBK WOODS* £95 

whilst attempting to escape. They were brought into 
the town, but the wounded men were regarded as beyond 
cure. These smugglers are known as “ rock scorpions,” 
—persons who live by a contraband trade, and by their 
wits. 

The kindness and attention of the British officers 
was constant during our entire stay in Gibraltar, and 
Mr. Vanderbilt and his friends receieved invitations 
from the gentlemen of the various regiments in the 
garrison to dinners. The regiments stationed here, and 
whose officers all visited the yacht and urged our par¬ 
taking of their hospitalities, were the 92nd, 44th 13th, 
30th and 35tli. 

On Wednesday, 7th, several of the officers of the 
44th regiment of infantry, and of the Boyal Artillery, 
proposed to the ladies and gentlemen an excursion on 
horseback to the Cork woods, a place famous for picnics, 
and situated a few miles within the Spanish dominions. 
From a lady who made one of the party I received the 
following account of the jaunt, and thankfully make use 
of her kind communication. The events of the jaunt 
I heard most graphically described the next evening by 
several of the English gentlemen, and one bore the 
marks of his accident. 

Gibraltar , Sept. 8, 1853. 

<c My dear Doctor Ciioules : According to pro¬ 
mise, I proceed to give you a brief account of a most 
delightful picnic to the Cork wood groves, in the vicinity 
of Gibraltar, given us by several of the officers of 
H. B. M.’s 44th regiment, and of the Boyal Artillery. 
The invitation Avas kindly extended to all our party (as 
you are aware), but from indisposition, and dread oi 
the long ride on liorsebaek, several declined. At ten 
o’clock of a rather cloudy morning, Ave Avere equipped 
in our travelling dresses, and mounted on very tolerable 
horses. I was more fortunate than the rest; Mr. IT., 
of the artillery, having insisted upon my riding one ol 
his horses, a very beautiful animal, Avhicli had avou the 




296 A PICNIC IN THE CORK WOODS. 

races at Seville not long previous. I gladly availed 
j^myself of this kind offer, I can assure you, and off we 
started, in great spirits. We soon reached the neutral 
ground, dividing Spain from Gibraltar, and it certainly 
looks as if it had no owner. It is quite barren, with 
scarcely a habitation upon it, about a mile in length, 
and a half a mile in width. The outposts, only a few 
rods apart, soon told us we were in her Spanish majesty 's 
dominions. Wc passed a few miserable-looking houses, 
the inhabitants eyeing us rather suspiciously, as they 
do not like the English officers to enter their territory. 

“ In a short time we arrived at San Itoque, a quiet 
little town, about two leagues distant from Gibraltar. 
It is to this town that the newly-married couples of 
Gibraltar generally repair to spend their honeymoon. 
Here we stopped a few minutes for refreshment, and to 
readjust our dresses. San Roque, like other Spanish 
towns as an amphitheatre for bull-fights, and an Alameda, 
or public shady walk. Our w T ay now lay through a 
wild country, the only road a foot-path, over which we 
had to pass in Indian file. I was told by Capt. B. that 
a British officer had been attacked and robbed, recently, 
in passing over this very ground. This in no way 
excited our fears, our escort being gallant and powerful. 
We were obliged to ford several small streams, and in 
crossing one Mr. L.’s horse very coolly laid down and 
took a refreshing roll in the water, greatly to liis dis¬ 
comfiture. 

“We soon came in view of the cork-trees. They 
are a wide-spread, shady tree ; the foliage is very thick, 
and of a dark green. There is nothing particularly 
remarkable about the tree, except the bark, or cork, 
which covers the trunk to the depth of six inches. We 
rode through the wood for about two miles, until 
we reached a very humble country inn, wliefre the only 
accommodation found was an empty barn, from which 
was separated, at one end. an old wine-shop. We 
tasted some of the wine, but found it disagreeable, 


A PICNIC IN THE CORK WOODS* 297 

We expected the officers’ ‘ tiger,’ whom they had sent 
with lunch, would be here awaiting our arrival. In 
about half an hour he made his "appearance, having had 
great difficulty in crossing the Spanish line. We dis¬ 
mounted, and, after selecting a large tree, the ladies 
reclined under its shade, while the gentlemen provided 
our repast. A large pine table was brought, also a few 
rustic chairs, and we were soon engaged doing ample 
justice to the liberal entertainment set out for us. The 
chicken salad was made by an artist; and, as we had 
been well appetized by our long ride, the viands and 
wines were very grateful to our hungry palates. 

“We were disappointed with the appearance of the 
cork groves; they were not so picturesque as we had 
expected. The tree is large and beautiful, but the 
forest covering a vast plain, is monotonous. After 
passing a couple of hours agreeably enlivened by social 
chat, and having cut off some pieces of cork as remin¬ 
iscences, we set out on our return, which proved to be 
full of adventures. As we were going along at a smart 
canter, a herd of cattle rushed across our path. Mr. 
T., a young artillery officer, was so intent following one 
of the ladies, that he did not perceive the interruption 
until he came in full contact with a large bull, causing 
him to be thrown with great violence. Although a 
good deal stunned, he was happily not much hurt. 
His horse, finding himself at liberty, started off, and 
joined a drove of young horses, which were running 
about wild. Then began an earnest chase after the 
runaway. It was only after a hard pursuit of two 
hours that he was captured. All the gentlemen joined 
in the chase, save one or two who remained with the 
ladies. In leaping a ditch, one of the hunters was 
thrown, escaping with a bruise on his lip. Another of 
the party, Mr. S., in crossing a farm, was denied pass¬ 
age by the peasants, who seized hold of his bridle, 
and threatened violence; but Mi*. S. nothing daunted, 
laid about right and left with a heavy riding whip, and 



298 QUEEN OF SPAIN’S CHAIR. 

forced his way through. We then made a fresh start, 
and, as it was getting late, took a short cut across the 
sandy beach at the head of the Bay of Algeciras. We 

were galloping away finely, when suddenly K-’s 

horse, completely blown, stopped short, and we had to 
wait a while until it recovered itself. 

“ We now came in sight of the mountain called the 
‘ Queen of Spain’s Chair,’ facing Gibraltar and the bay. 
It is said that during the celebrated siege of Gibraltar, 
by the Spaniards, towards the end of the last century, 
the Queen of Spain, exasperated at its prolonged and 
successful resistance, seated herself on this mountain, 
and vowed she would not leave her chair until she saw 
the Spanish flag waving over the Bock of Gibraltar. 
This coming to the ears of Governor Elliott, the gallant 
veteran in command, he determined to releave her from 
the personal inconvenience to which her rash vow had 
subjected her, and hoisted the Spanish flag on the 
battlements, and the English beneath. We reentered 
the world-famed fortress of Gibraltar just before gun¬ 
fire, having ridden twenty-five miles. Independently 
of the novel incidents of our excursion, we were 
charmed with the gentlemanly demeanor and courtesy 
of our entertainers, and we shall long look back with 
pleasure to their picnic to the Cork woods of Spain. 

ccg_rp_5) 

In our shopping expeditions we found ourselves in a 
curiosity store, kept by a Moor, who is known as 
“ Charley.” He is the handsomest blackmail I ever 
saw. Ibis eyes are wondrously fine, but his face has 
been tattooed in his early youth, when he was a slave in 
Barbary. Charley has been to Tiinbuctoo, has been a 
great traveller, speaks several languages, and has man¬ 
aged to accumulate some considerable cash. This man 
is, in my estimation, “the character” of the town. 
His costume is throughly Turkish, or, more correctly, 
Moorish; parts of his dress very costly. In his shop we 
made many a pleasant lounge, and ate his dates, which 




299 


“CHARLEY,” THE MOOR. 

he always brought out. I think that our acquaintance 
was mutually agreeable; for certainly Charley, having 
found favor with our ladies, made extensive sales to all 
our party, and I fancy at leaving he must have had 
possession of several hundreds of dollars. His card of 
business is as follows: 

HAGGE SAID GUESUS, 

DEALER IN 

MOORISH CURIOSITIES, ETC. ETC. ETC. 

Ho. 7, Main-street, 

GIBRALTAR. 

A shrewder salesman than “ Charley ” is not often 
found. I am writing from an inkstand which I pur¬ 
chased from him, and he said, “ 0, you will wisli you 
had bought a dozen when you get home !” Well, 
Charley, you were right there; for my Moorish ink- 
stand, with its castellated sides, is a general favorite, 
and nearly every one covets it; but I shall keep it in 
remembrance of as a clever a darky as I know. But 
he was far too clever to let me off with an inkstand, 
and sundry other memorials have I to show of our 
transactions in trade. I wanted some large vases. 
“ Well,” said Charley, * c wliat you want such big things; 
you can’t car them a-sliip and not break.” And he 
strongly urged smaller matters; but I was set on my 
idols,—a pair of large vases, made in Barbary. Char¬ 
ley was wrong; the big things reached home in safety, 
and Charley, like his prophet, was a false one. I com¬ 
mend all travellers to the Kock to put themselves at 
once into commercial intercourse with Hagge Said 
Guesus; and I do not think that there is one of the 
North Star party who would not like to shake hands 
again with “ Charley.” I had nearly forgot to say that 
Charley always addresses the ladies as “ my dear;” and 
the good-humored expression which is enthroned on his 
handsome round visage is onlv clouded when a customer 
objects to his prices, which he prides himself upon 
never abating, 




300 DINNER WITH THE 44TH REGIMENT. 

Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt and Mrs. Cross paid a visit 
to liis excellency the Governor, and were very cour¬ 
teously received, and returned pleased with their call. 

On Thursday evening, Mr. Clark, Major Labau and 
I, accepted an invitation to dine with the officers of 
the 44th at their quarters upon the Rock. At six 
o’clock we repaired to the Club-house, where we were 
to meet our kind friends, who would take charge of us. 
At sundown we had the pleasure to listen to the noble 
band which plays every evening in the square, and 
never did music sound more sweetly than that calm 
night. Having ordered our boatmen to meet us at the 
Ragged Staff, as the town gates would be closed on 
our return, we at a little past seven got into the car¬ 
riage and ascended the Rock, which is a slow process, 
but every winding turn showing us new beauties, and 
at eight we reached the comfortable quarters of the 
regimental mess. A more superb look-out was never 
seen than this building affords. 

The accommodations are very fine, and all that gen¬ 
tlemen can desire. At a little past eight we were 
summoned to the dining-room, and a more magnificent 
one is not easily found. It was a company night, of 
which there are two every week. There were twenty- 
two or twenty-four officers at table, all in uniform. 
The table was loaded with massive plate, belonging to 
the regiment, which is distinguished for the elegance of 
its equipage. 

Our dinner was one of the best I ever met out of 
Paris; indeed, it was thoroughly Parisian, as the ar¬ 
rangements of the mess are under the supervision of 
an artist from the French capital. The Epergnes were 
very large, and bear the name of the regiment; ami 
the immense candelabra and other adornments rendered 
it a brilliant scene. The band played during the even¬ 
ing, and I deeply regret that I cannot lay my hand 
upon the musical programme with which we were pro¬ 
vided, The evening wm passed in pieasmM interchange 


RETURN AFTER DINNER. 


301 


of views and opinions upon national and local matters, 
and the Russian and Turkish difficulties came in for a 
share of our conversation. The gentlemen here, as in 
Malta, strongly sympathize with the Sultan. A more 
agreeable party I never met than surrounded that 
table; every one seemed happy to meet us as Ameri¬ 
cans, and there was a general sentiment expressed of 
strong aversion to the tone of the art icles which appear 
in one of the leading London papers, and which most 
surely are not the just exponents of English opinion 
and feeling towards the United States. 

As the gates are closed at ten for the night, we could 
only leave the Rack at the Ragged Staff gate, and that 
by the favor of the powers that command. Having 
the staff in their own hands, and the charge of the car¬ 
riages which were to convey us to the shore, our hos¬ 
pitable friends kept us late. I am quite sure that the 
kind speeches of lire generous, high-minded officers of 
the 44th, and their friends of other regiments, will long 
be remembered by each of their American guests. 1 
shall never hear the Rock of Gibraltar spoken of with¬ 
out thinking of the 44th regiment, and our friends 
Brown, Higgins, Deering, Thornhill, and others whose 
faces I can recall much easier than their names. These 
gentlemen insisted upon escorting us down to the shore, 
and some fifteen of them got in and on our two car¬ 
riages, and the descent of the Rock of Gibraltar by a 
bright moonlight, and the hearty English huzzas with 
which they took leave of us, are never to be forgotten 
by either of their guests. 4 

* A charming row of two miles brought us to. the 
yacht, and some amusing events which there transpired 
deeply convinced ns that, it is never a wise thing to be 
in “ a hurry.” 

Among those whose politeness I feel bound to record 
1 will mention Mr. Roberts, who keeps a fine chemist's 
store, where every drug and chemical may be procured 
in as much perfection as in London or Pam, Mr. Ro- 

2 i? 





302 DEPARTURE FROM GIBRALTAR. 

berts, with hundreds of the inhabitants of the Book, 
visited the yacht; and when he came off to us the day 
we sailed, he politely brought a box of ice, which for a 
day or two proved exceedingly comfortable and refresh¬ 
ing. Our own stock had been exhausted, and the good 
people at the only port in the Mediterranean where it 
could be obtained asked the moderate price of one hun¬ 
dred and twenty dollars per ton. Our ice procured at 
St. Petersburg lasted us into the Mediterranean, but 
soon "wasted in that region. 

Here we had to take leave of our friends and fellow- 
voyagers Mr. and Mrs. Daniel B. Allen. Mrs. Allen 
came on board the vacht from a sick bed, and in a con- 
dition of extreme debility. The voyage proved emi¬ 
nently serviceable, and now, in much improved health, 
she leaves us. Our friends took a steamer to Cadiz, 
and proposed to pass a year in Europe. They carried 
with them the best wishes of all our company, and sorry 
were we to lose the companionship of those who ever 
looked upon the bright side of each passing event. 

On leaving the harbour we fired a salute, which was 
replied to by the guns of the fortress. 





C H A I'T E E XXIII. 


LEAVE GIBRALTAR — TANGIER—oAIL FOR MADEIRA—PORTO &ANTO—• 
MADEIRA — FUNCHAL, AND ITS ASPECT — LANDING IN THE SURF — 
HISTORIC NOTICE —LEGEND OF MACHIH—OBSERVATIONS ON FUN¬ 
CHAL—CATHOLIC INTOLERANCE—MANNERS OF PEOPLE—EXCURSION 
TO THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF THE MOUNT — SCENERY — A 
MIRACLE—MR. GEORGE BROWN—BEGGARS—ARTICLES FOR SALE— 
YATES* HOTEL—HIS STUDY—CLIMATE — SIR JAMiiS CLARK AND 
LEIGH HUNT—POPULATION—BOARDING-HOUSES—MODES OF TRAVEL 
SHOPS—THE BOY-BEGGARS—BLAST OF THB VINEYARDS—THE VINE 
—WINES OF THE ISLAND—FRUITS AND VEGETABLES—TREES AND 
FLOWERS—BIRDS—FISH—DEPARTURE. 

September Oth, we left Gibraltar on a tine morning, 
at about eleven o’clock, and, with a brisk breeze, stood 
over for Tangier. We soon made the headland of 
Cape Spartel, and had a glorious view of the straits* 
This is the north-west point of Africa and of Morocco, 
and forms the south-western boundary of the Straits of 

% v 

Gibraltar. On its summit we observed an old tower, 
which appeared in ruins. The sea was rolling into the 
Bay of Tangier, with a strong northerly wind, and it 
was soon very clear that we were to be deprived of the 
pleasure which we had anticipated in landing on the 
continent of Africa. The surf was rolling in white 
sheets of foam, and, as a landing could only be effected 
by the use of the surf-boats from the shore, we at once 
felt that it was unwise to hazard the inconvenience for 
the gratification of an hour. We were about one mile 
from the shore, and our consul’s flag was at once 
exhibited from his house-top. This gentleman had 
expressed to us at Gibraltar his earnest hope that we 
would show our yacht to the Moors. 

The town makes a fine appearance, as the buildings 

2 d 2 




304 TANGIER—PORTO SANTO* 

are all white, It stands in a small space, and within 
a line of old Moorish fortified walls ; the buildings 
come down very close to the shore. Not a vessel was 
in the little bay, which is exceedingly exposed to the 
north-west winds. Tangier is an old place, and when 
won by the Eomans, under Sertorius, was known as 
Tingris. Saracens, Moors, Portuguese and English, 
have all by turn claimed possession of this spot. 
Charles II. of England received it as part of the 
portion of his wife, Catherine of Portugal. It was 
abandoned in 1684 by the British. The present 
population is about seven thousand five hundred, of 
whom one-third are Jews. It carries on extensive 
trade with Gibraltar, in cattle, poultry, kc. Not often 
have I seen a finer outline of coast than that which 
encircles this little town. A noble range of hills ex¬ 
tends off to the east and south, and, as far as we could 
see, the most luxuriant growth of trees. Palms and 
aloes were abundant, and the cultivation looked as 
though it were of a high order. Certainly a sail along 
this part of Africa is most delightful, and it is hard to 
believe that such scenes of beautv are inhabited by 
barbarous Arabs, who are ever prowling for their 
prey. 

IV e now, at half-past two p.m., made our course 
direct for the Island of Madeira. In the evening the 
breeze freshened, and all night and throughout Satur¬ 
day we had good headway. On the evening of the 
lltli, at six, we made the island of Porto Santo, and 
lay to under its lee, waiting forday light to enter the 
roadstead of Eunchal. This island presents a remark¬ 
able appearance, and is seen at a great distance. Three 
large hammocks enable the mariner to distinguish it 
from Madeira. The mountainous heights appear 
barren, and everything, as far as we could see, looked 
unpromising. The population is about one thousand 
two hundred. 

Iu the early dawn of day wc were passing north of 


MADEIRA— EOliT ST. JAGO. 305 

the Desertas, a group of rocky islands which are not 
inhabited, and only visited by a few fishermen, who 
have huts here for occasional use. One rock, called 
the Pyramid, bears a very strong resembles to a ship 
with her sails spread. The Table Lock is a fiat island, 
and takes its name from its formation. The passage 
between the Desertas and Madeira is about eight miles 
wide, and we lay pretty close to the island, which rose 
up with its lofty mountain range before ns, in the 
bright morning light. Madeira opened to oiu - view as 
a long range of rocky hills, dotted with white houses, 
church-towers, villas, trees planted in rows, and look¬ 
ing like orchards. As we passed along, the scenery 
became exquisitely beautiful* Precipitous cliffs, deep 
ravines and beds of mountain torrents, are clearly 
discernible; and gorges cut out as by the convulsions 
of nature, between vast mountains, extending from the 
sea up to the summits of the cliff's, till hidden from 
sight by the clouds resting on the peaks of the range, 
present a most majestic landscape. 

Funchal now opened upon our gaze with all its 
beauty. Tins famous hay, which hardly, however, 
comes up to this geographical appellation, begins to 
recede from the Cape Garajao at the east, a distance of 
nearly three miles, and then runs out more boldly to¬ 
wards Ponta da Cruz, a little west of Funchal. The 
entire indentation is, I think, less than a mile. From 
Garajao to Fort St. Jago, which stands as an eastern 
boundary to the town, the coast is very bold, and has 
but one mountain gorge, at the foot of which stand the 
quarantine buildings. 

At Fort St* Jago a rough shingle beach begins, 
which fronts the entire town, and extends to the 
western extremity of Funchal, known as the Kibeira 
de Sab Paulo, and then on the narrow point called the 
Pontinha and the Loo-Piock; these are both sur¬ 
mounted with forts, and are striking features from the 
vessels in the bay. Loo-Pock stands out more than 




806 


LANDING IN THE GUUF. 


one liundted yards from the line of the coast. Not far 
from this, and bordering on the town, are the Portu¬ 
guese cemetery and a fine plantation of cypress trees. 
The town lies directly on the water line, and ascends 
the eminence, which extends to a high mountainous 
range behind it, and is at least three thousand five 
hundred feet high. 1 am sure that no artist has ever 
done justice to the sceneiy of this island. It reminds 
me of Gay Head, on Martha's Vineyard ; and has as 
rich variety of soil as that remarkaide headland, 
mingling black, yellow, red and white, with the living 
green of the luxuriant foliage, under the perpetually 
shifting shadows of the cIgiuIs. 

Our vessel whs soon surrounded by a fleet of boats 
from the shore. The health-officer came off to us, and, 
taking our papers, soon returned, giving us permission 
to land. We then landed, and on gaining the shore, 
had to have our boats drawn up through the surf, 
which breaks strongly on the strand. This is some¬ 
times quite an undertaking. As soon as the boat nears 
the shore it is turned stern end to the beach, and the 
oarsmen, with their pantaloons tucked up, seize the 
opportunity when a large wave rolls up to back the 
boats upon its force, till it touches the beach; they 
then jump out, and pull the boat and passengers up 
high and dry. We at once repaired to the hotel kept 
by Mr. Yates. Among our visitors from the town, 
before we landed, were Mr. Borden and Mr. George 
Brown, both of whom rendered us kind and friendly 
attentions upon shore during our entire stay upon the 
island. 

Before I record our movements, I would here savin 
little about the history of this interesting place. It 
seems probable that in the days of Augustus Cassar 
something was known of the existence of these islands. 
Pliny unquestionably speaks of these groups, and adds 
that they were “ discovered by Juba.*’ After the 
decline and fall of Carthage, it is certain that all in* 


HISTORY OP MAC HIM. 


307 


itfcourse with the Atlantic islands was cut off. In 
1410 the Prince Henry, son of John, King of Portugal, 
sent out ships to double Cape Pojador, and the cap¬ 
tains were driven so far from shore, that they fell in 
with an island, which they called Porto Santo. Henry 
sent out a colony to this island, and the inhabitants 
soon noticed a dark spot still westword, and Zarco, 
the commander of one of Henry’s ships, sailing west, 
discovered an island, 1420, to which he gave the name 
of Madeira, because it was covered with trees. 

The Portuguese determined to colonize the island, 
and made Zarco, and his fellow-navigator Teixeira, 
captains of the place. Zarco ruled forty-seven years, 
and is buried in St. Clara convent. In 1508 Funchal 
was made a city. In 1580 Madeira passed into the 
hands of Spain, and continued in her possession till 
1640. From 1801 until 1807 it was under English 
protection. In 1847 a popular effort was made, but 
the place was restored to Portugal, and is still in her 
power. 

The Spaniards say that Columbus was once a resi¬ 
dent on this island. It is certain that his wife was the 
daughter of Pestrello, one of the discoverers of Porto 
Santo. A romantic story is also told of the re-dis¬ 
covery of Madeira. This narrative, by Alcaforado, 
was translated into French in 1671, and was printed 
in Paris. 

HISTORY OF MAC HIM. 

An Englishman of obscure birth, named Robert 
Machim, who lived in the reign of Edward III., fell 
in love with Anna d’Arfet, a beautiful damsel of noble 
family. Her father, incensed at his presumption, ob¬ 
tained the imprisonment of the lover, and married his 
daughter to a more illustrious suitor. The bridegroom, 
however, having left his castle, near Bristol, to attend 
the king in his wars, Machim, when released, procured 
access to Anna, and persuaded her to escape with him 
to France. They sailed, without a pilot, for the coast 



SOS 


FUNCHAL. 


of Bretagne; but, a storm arising, they lost their 
reckoning, and, after running ten clays before the 
sale, at length discovered the coast of Madeira, and 
landed, in 1346, in a bay, afterwards named Macchio, 
from him. A storm drove Machines vessel from its 
anchorage, leaving those who had landed from it in 
such distress, that the lady died of grief. Machim, 
refusing all food, did not long survive her, and was 
buried in the same grave. The rest, having orna¬ 
mented the tomb with a large wooden cross, and placed 
near it an inscription which Machim had prepared, 
requesting the first Christians who might read it to 
raise a chapel on the spot, took to their boat, and, 
being carried to the coast of Barbary, were made cap¬ 
tives by the Moors. While in captivity they related 
their adventures and described the position of Madeira 
to a fellow-captive, who communicated the facts to a 
Spanish pilot, called Morales, in the employment of 
Goncalves Zarco. Antonio Galvano, in his account of 
Portuguese discoveries, relates that this Machim, after 
Anna’s death, left the island in a boat, and it was 
picked up on the coast of Africa, by the Moors, and 
sent as a curiosity to Henry III., King of Castile. 

Funchal is built in an irregular manner, and its 
streets are laid with a pavement of small stones, of the 
size of an egg. The stones are basalt, and are fur¬ 
nished by the beach. The streets are narrow, and the 
rich and poor seem to live in harmonious contiguity. 
Most of the dwellings have balconies. In a large 
number of instances I found the ground floor of the 
houses used as wine-cellars. The people deserve much 
credit for the great cleanliness of their streets. Rivers, 
or, more properly speaking, mountain-torrents, at least 
three pass through Funchal, and have in their au¬ 
tumnal swell frequently devastated the place; but 
their beds and channels are now dammed up by stu¬ 
pendous walls. These channels were perfectly dry 
when we were here. I have never met with such hosts 









































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CATHOLIC INTOLERANCE. 30$ 

of beggars as at this place. Men, women and child¬ 
ren, assail you. The principal street is called the 
Carreira, at the end of which is the English chapel. 
It is a plain building, having no very striking exterior 
appearance of a church; but this arises from Portu¬ 
guese intolerance. Catholics prate about their rights 
and liberties in England and America, where they 
have perfect liberty to observe their religious services, 
but not an atom of this will they afford to Protestants 
in any land on which they have power and entire 
foothold. 

It is about time for England and the United States 
to demand from Catholic countries the liberty of wor¬ 
ship for their citizens abroad. Will Americans ever 
learn that Popery is an unchangeable system, and that 
wherever it has power there it persecutes ? Our Catho¬ 
lic bishops must laugh at the facility with which they 
delude our statesmen and our citizens by talking about 
liberty, republicanism, and other matters which they 
abhor, and would exterminate from the face of the 
earth. 

The most agreeable walks in the town are the Pra(;a 
Academica, and Pra<pi da llainha, on the border of the 
sea, and the Praea da Constituiqao, which is in front 
of the Cathedral. On these promenades there are 
tine shade-trees, and conveniences for the invalid to 
take repose. These are great places of rendezvous in 
the cool of the evenings, and on gala occasions the 
band plays for the entertainment of the company. I 
have seldom seen finer-looking men and women than 
the peasantry who come into town from the mountains, 
bearing supplies of produce and fuel in burdens on 
their heads. These people struck me as possessing much 
politeness, for men and women in their station of life. 
I never passed them but they made a respectful recogni¬ 
tion, and at the same time touched or removed the 
jaunty, funnel-shaped cap, with a long peak slightly 
topping off to the right. The costume of the country 


BIO EXCURSION TO TIIE CHAPEL ON THE MOUNT. 

people is very picturesque. The women commonly 
wear printed calico, and a petticoat of striped linsey- 
woolsey, bound with a gay color. The meu wear 
white linen trousers, the shirt adorned at the neck with a 
gold button, a showy waistcoat, generally worn open, 
or with bright buttons, and a short jacket thrown 
across the left shoulder. The carapuea is worn by 
men and women. My impressions of the common 
people at Medeira are very favorable; they are always 
clean-looking, but their reputation is not good for 
honesty. The state of religion is very low, and I am 
told by residents on the island that the priesthood 
are very indolent and inattentive. Dr. Kalley was 
spoken of with respect, and it was conceded that when 
residing here he effected much good. The rugged 
roads occasion most of the burthens to be conveyed on 
the shoulders of the peasantry; and long journeys of 
seven or ten miles are made with two hundred and 
even three hundred pounds, up and down ascents 
which really appear well-nigh impassable for an or¬ 
dinary foot passenger. 

On a beautiful afternoon, several ladies and gentle¬ 
men formed a party at the hotel, and, under the 
guidance of Mr. Borden, set out to visit the Chapel of 
Our Lady on the Mount, which is a most prominent 
object from the deck of our yacht, standing high up 
in the back-ground of "Funchal. The party were sup¬ 
plied with horses, and Burroqueros, who are the 
attendants of the horses and mules, and, hanging on 
at the animal’s tail, manage to regulate his movements; 
they keep up with the horse, in spite of the toilsome 
ascent. The ladies on their return reported to me, 
for I did not go, that their road lay through narrow 
streets, enclosed on either side by high stone walls, 
rising like parapets, every now and then low enough to 
give peeps of the enclosed gardens and scenery beyond. 
But, to atone for this concealment, on all sides of the 
broken heights, or clinging to and overhanging the 


DESCENT FROM THE MOUNT. 311 

walls tliemselves, were large shrubs of heliotrope in full 
flower, perfuming the air with their fragrant petals; 
geraniums of immense growth unci charming variety; 
luxuriant fuchsias, obtaining a size and vigor denied 
them in our less genial clime; multiflora roses, sweet 
myrtles, huge oleanders, filled with rose-like blossoms; 
these and many other floral beauties feasted their 
senses during that pleasant ride. About twenty minutes 
before arriving at the church, they rested at a platform 
which overhangs a vast gorge, and commands the most 
splendid scenery imaginable. Sea and sky lay before 
and beneath, blended in one heavenly azure, clear and 
blue in the softest summer radiance. Two cone-like 
mountains in the distance at the right uplifted their 
bluisli-grey outline against a most exquisite back¬ 
ground; and all around w r ere wooded heights, deep 
ravines, and beautiful beds of wintry torrents; pretty 
little thatched garden-cottages, surrounded by plan¬ 
tain, banana and fig-trees; mountains, around whose 
summits clou els ever lingered,—all were thrown together 
in one picturesque combination. As they ascended, 
the high w r alls had disappeared, giving again occasional 
glimpses of the surrounding country. Large growths 
of aloes w r ero seen at every turn. The Church of our 
Lady presents nothing particularly striking, on a near 
survey. It is approached by long flights of stone steps 
from the platform in its front. Like all Popish 
churches, it has several small side chapels. Prom the 
platform there is a charming vieiv of the bay and its 
boundaries. 

The descent from the mountain was by another path, 
equally precipitous, but even more beautiful than the 
one by which the ascent had been made, because it 
commanded a more unobstructed view of the beautiful 
country. Many a lovely little nook and precipitous 
ravine, clothed from the top to the bottom of its steep 
sides with shrubs and verdure, lives a green picture in 
memory ; and that ride to Our Lady’s Church of the 




313 


SCENERY. 


Mount is daguerreotyped upon the tablets of recollec¬ 
tion. 

The next day, Mr. Cope, our first officer, joined 
Mrs. Choules and myself in this same excursion. We 
went up in a carriage drawn by a pair of oxen. Mrs. 
C. was as much delighted as on the previous ascent. I 
think the church stands at eighteen hundred feet above 
the town, immediately in its rear. Mr. .T. A. Dix, in 
his charming volume of “ Winter in Madeira,” says 
that “the ascent is at an angle of not less than fifteen 
degrees with the horizon.” Much of the ascent is far 
more precipitous. I do not remember any day in my 
life in which I have enjoyed the beauties of nature so 
keenly. We stopped on our way at a lovely villa, and 
walked through the sweetest garden I ever entered. 1 
know not the names of half the trees that were there; 
but I shall not forget the glorious camellia jnponicas, 
some of which were at least eighteen or twenty feet 
high, and in luxuriant bloom. The geraniums were of 
extraordinary growth and beauty. Here I fist saw the 
coffee-tree. An intelligent gardener led us from one 
spot of beauty to another, and furnished me with some 
seeds of various kinds. The prospect of the moun¬ 
tain beyond the church is sublime, rising up thousands 
of feet. This sanctuary is very dear to the population; 
it not only serves as a landmark, but the devout 
Catholic sailor, as he comes into port, recognizes it as 
the church of the saint whose protection has saved him 
from the dangers of the sea, and here he makes his 
vow to the object of his trust. 

It is said that Our Lady of the Mount once vouch- 
safccl a miracle when the people were threatened with 
a famine. A pilgrimage to the mount was undertaken 
by the principal inhabitants to invoke the aid of Nossa 
Senhora, and, lo ! the next morning a vessel came into 
Funchal from Lisbon, laden with corn ! On examina¬ 
tion, the clothes of the saint were saturated with sea¬ 
water, and the sailors declared that during a long calm 


MR. BROWN— STUDIES OF ItlS PUPILS. 318 

a white figure arose from the ocean and drew them into 
the harbor! 

I spent a very pleasant hour with Mr. George Brown, 
at his residence. This gentleman has had a checkered 
life, and few men have passed through more vicissitudes. 
The history of his adventures would be an interesting- 
one, and afford a striking illustration of the benefits to 
be derived from a cheerful, hopeful temper. Mr. 
Brown occupies a large house, and employs himself 
in the education of some twenty or thirty lads. I found 
him surrounded with the unmistakable proofs of his 
admiration of our country, in which he had passed 
several years. The walls of his parlor have on them 
the Declaration of Independence, Jackson’s Proclama¬ 
tion, the likenesses of the Presidents, and maps of the 
United States, and some of the single states. The 
books, too, indicate the bent of his predilections. 

I made minute inquiries as to the studies of his 
pupils, and was gratified to find that he makes Ame¬ 
rican history a very large part of the course of 
instruction. Mr. B. showed me the copy-books, com¬ 
positions, etc., of his lads; and it was a curious thing 
to find that he makes them translate the Declaration of 
American Independence into Portuguese. He allowed 
me to carry away a fine copy of it, the production of a 
youth of fifteen years of age. The governor often 
visits Mr. B., and he regards the arrival of the United 
States ships with much interest, as he then makes his 
solitary abode head-quarters for our officers, His card 
showed quite an extensive circle of acquaintance with 
our naval gentlemen. 

With my friend I rambled through the town, and 
had my attention directed to many curious matters. 
The Beading-room is quite a snug little place, de¬ 
lightfully embowered by vines and creepers, close to 
the water. 

Whenever we landed we were surrounded by beg¬ 

gars* and many of them were very interesting chil* 

K , i a. . . b ' 


314 


ME. YATES* HOTEL. 


tlren. We often think of one fine-looking boy, about 
eight years old, who pressed forward with two smaller 
ones, imploring alms on their behalf. He told me, in 
pretty good English, that they had “ No father, lio 
father, poor forlorn ones.” This was liis moving ex¬ 
clamation. I told him I would give them something 
next day, at which the poor children’s faces brightened 
up, and were radiant. They had not yet learned to 
distrust man’s word. 

During our visit at Eunchal, we were constantly 
beset with men and women offering articles for sale. 
Baskets in vast variety of form and fashion, straw-hats, 
lace, mats, mittens, walking-sticks, tables, writing- 
desks, chess-boards of the most exquisite construction 
in mosaic work, were pressed upon us at every step, 
and at prices astonishingly low. I do not believe that 
such a market is often thrown open to the good people 
of Eunchal as they found on the arrival of the North 
Star. We all dined on shore, at Mr. Yates’ hotel, 
and found an admirable table, with the best at¬ 
tention. 

Mr. Yates was formerly a sergeant in the British 
army, and resides here on account of hit health, which 
is much improved by the climate. On conversing with 
our host, I was surprised to find him possessed of so 
much intelligence; and, in reply to my inquiries on 
many subjects, I at once discovered that he was a man 
of considerable reading. Mr. Yates invited me into 
his study, and I was conducted into a very charming 
retreat, where I met with a far finer library of the best 
books than can usually be met with in a clergyman’s 
study in New England. The cast of the proprietor’s 
mind was evidently in favor of theology and metaphy¬ 
sics, arid not often do I fall in with a better col¬ 
lection of the best authors. Mr. Yates is a hard 
student, a close thinker; and, although at least fifty, 
he is diligently employed in the acquisition of the 
Latin language, I was delighted with my visit to 


M A D-EIR A.-— s? C LI MATE. 


315 


tins charming study, which commands a view of the 
ocean and the unrivalled beauty of the island mountain 
range. 

Madeira is known to all the world by its production 
of wine, and as a favorite resort for consumptive per¬ 
sons. The climate appears to me to be all that can be 
desired for the invalid. The mean temperature at 
Funchal is reported at GG° of Fahrenheit for the whole 
year. February and March are the extreme of winter, 
and August and September furnish the greatest heat. 
Between March and September the mean difference is 
not greater than about twelve degrees. A variety of 
causes operate to produce this charming climate. The 
towering mountains which extend to the entire north 
shelter it from the weather at every point of the com¬ 
pass except from the south-east and south-west. Then 
the general absence of forest and wood meliorates the 
climate, and the perfect steadiness of the land and sea 
breezes keeps up a state of exquisite temperature. 
The rainy reason takes place in autumn and the 
early part of spring, and seldom lasts more than three 
weeks. 

Occasionally, at distances of a number of years, 
this island has been visited with deluges or freshets 
of an alarming character. The water comes down in 
torrents through the ravines, bearing before it vast 
masses of rock, and the noise is tremendous. In 1803, 
no less than five hundred persons perished, and it was 
supposed that a water-spout had broken upon the 
mountains. 

I was very particular in my inquiries as to the 
dampness of this place, and am satisfied that at Fun¬ 
chal there is no undue excess of moisture; fog is 
unknown, and the dews are very moderate. I do not 
believe that the climate can save a man whose lungs 
are nearly consumed by disease; but I have no doubt, 
where individuals have a tendency to disease, and many 
sure, unerring syipptoms of its approach, that if 

2 e 2 




316 


CLIMATE OF MADEIRA. 


they repaired to Madeira and lived prudently, per¬ 
fect health would generally be the happy conse¬ 
quences. 

Sir James Clark, writing upon the climate of Ma¬ 
deira, says: “ It (Madeira) is warmer during the win¬ 
ter and cooler during the summer; there is less differ¬ 
ence between the temperature of the day and that of 
the night; between one season and another; and be¬ 
tween successive days. It is almost exempt from keen, 
cold winds, and enjoys a general steadiness of weather 
to which the continental climates are strangers.” Acute 
rheumatic affections are very rare in the island, and the 
dangerous concomitant disease of the heart. Persons 
labouring under chronic rheumatism almost invariably 
receive benefit from a visit or residence here. In the 
island are excellent English physicians,—men of high 
professional eminence. 

The general opinion here is that a residence through 
the summer is quite as useful to the patient as in the 
winter. If the population were not so ill-fed and hard- 
worked, the longivity would be much greater than the 
bills of mortality indicate. The physicians say that 
all diseases brought to the island, as small-pox, scarlet- 
fever, &c., appear here in their mildest forms, and very 
soon disappear. On no occasion has Madeira been 
visited by the Asiatic cholera. 

I am quite satisfied, if a person has to leave the 
northern part of the United States or England for a 
milder climate, that the best places I have ever seen for 
his purposes are Madeira and Malaga. At either of 
these spots he will find a charming climate, magnificent 
scenery, interesting associations, good society, the best 
of medical advice, and the religious privileges which a 
sick man ought to appreciate. 

I am quite of Leigh Hunt’s opinion about the state 
of those who are threatened with consumption. He 
says: “I suspect that people of this tendency, with a 
proper mode of living, may reach to as good a period 


EMIGRATION—POPULATION. 317 

of existence as any others. The great secret in this, 
as in almost all physical cases of ill, seems to be in diet 
and regimen. If some demi-god could regulate for 
mankind what they should eat and drink, by what bodily 
treatment circulate their blood, he would put an end to 
half the trouble which the world undergoes.” 

The population of the island is not more than one 
hundred and fifteen thousand. A large emigration has 
taken place to Demerara, where laborers were in great 
demand. This commenced in 1835, and about one 
thousand two hundred young men left Madeira; others 
went in 1840. A heavy fee is paid by each emigrant. 
It is supposed that since 1835 nearly thirty thousand 
persons have gone to the West India Islands. 

All who resort to this island speak favorably of the 
local authorities ; the officers of the custom-house arc 
very polite, and the most liberal course is adopted in 
reference to the admission of personal goods. 

The boarding-houses are numerous, and very com¬ 
fortable. Mr. John Yates’ family hotel is all that a 
gentleman would desire, and the charges for board 
vary from forty to fifty dollars per month, inclusive of 
the wine of the island. There are several villas to let, 
furnished, and on reasonable terms. These houses can 
be had for three, six or twelve months. Good servants 
can be procured at the following rates, as I was in¬ 
formed : Good men-cooks, seven to eight dollars; 
plain, do., five to six dollars; house-maid, three to 
four dollars ; boy, two dollars; groom, five dollars,— 
without food. Good horses are easily procured, but 
good saddles are scarce, and a visitor should bring his 
own. The roads are entirely unfit for carriages, and 
those who do not ride on horseback generally make use 
of the palanquin, a sort of cradle suspended from a 
pole, and hanging about twelve inches from the ground. 
It has curtains and awning, and a low seat. This is 
carried by two men, and the charge is about twelve and 
a half cents an hour. The ox carriage of which I made 






318 SHOPS—BOY BEGGARS. 

mention will bold four persons, and is like a large 
sleigh, moving on wooden or iron runners. 

I found the shops, both English and Portuguese, well 
supplied with everything that visitors would need; but 
their exterior appearance is by no means inviting. 
Reading-rooms, clubs, &c., are all open to the stranger. 
The Commercrcial Reading-room, near the pier, with 
its charming veranda and beautiful view of the sea, 
would be a favorite lounge of mine, if I were to pass 
any time at Eunchal. 

Divine service is performed here every Sabbath, both 
in the English Church and in the Eree Church of Scot¬ 
land. 

It is hardly necessary to say that every part of the 
island abounds in the most picturesque and romantic 
scenery. I procured some excellent engravings of ca¬ 
taracts and ravines in distant parts of the island, which 
are awfully grand and sublime. Our limited stay did 
not allow me to visit them. 

On one of my visits on shore, I again met with “ the 
forlorn ones,” and their eloquent little advocate. I 
took him on board the yacht, and made up a large 
bundle of clothes, including a bonnet for his mother, 
and never did I see more perfect joy in a human coun¬ 
tenance. He went back in the boat, and divided up 
his spoils; and that day several little hearts were made 
glad. 

Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt and others of the party 
visited the elegant abode of Mr. Gordon, on the moun¬ 
tain, and were greatly delighted with his charming re¬ 
sidence. This gentleman, and our worthy consul, Mr. 
March, were absent on a visit to England, having left 
Madeira by the steamer a few days previous to our 
arrival. 

We were all very sorry to find the island laboring 
under a sad calamity in the total destruction of the 
vineyards. Instead of producing twenty-five thousand 
pipes of wine, as used to be done, this year the amount 


DESTRUCTION OF THE VINEYARDS. 31.9 

will fall below two hundred ! No one can form an 
adequate idea of the blasted appearance of the vines 
who has not seen them. They look as if they had been 
scorched by fire. We could not obtain grapes to eat. 
The fear is entertained that the vines are so injured 
that several years must elapse ere another crop can be 
realized. The vine was brought herein 1425, but the 
best varitie3 were introduced by the Jesuits in the close 
of the 16th century. I observed many of the vines 
trained on the chestnut-trees ; but the impression is 
entertained that the grape is better when grown near 
to the earth. The vintage occurs early in September. 
The usual rate of production is calculated in good sea¬ 
sons at a pipe of wine to the acre. The inferior wines 
are sent in large amounts to Hamburgh and Cologne, 
where, under the hands of doctors, it is made into 
hock, and sent over Europe and to America. 

Very many of the wines here raised are rarely seen 
off the island. The principal wines of Madeira are as 
follows : 

Malmsey, a light-colored wine, made from a large 
oval grape, which, when ripe, is of golden hue; its 
bunches are thin and long. The best wine of this grade 
is made on estates belonging formerly to the Jesuits. 
It is difficult to raise the vine, as a little fog or damp* 
ness destroys the flower. This is the costliest wine of 
the island, and is worth about four hundred dollars .a 
pipe on the spot. 

Bilal .—This is a delicate wine, produced from a 
round, straw-colored grape, the size of a small mar¬ 
ble. The grape is now scarce, and the wine is very 
high. 

Sercial is a dry, light-colored wine, produced from 
the round hock grape, which hangs in thick clusters. 
This wine must obtain considerable age to become ac¬ 
ceptable to the palate. The grape is never eaten j its 
price is high. 

J'inta or Madeira Burgundy .— This is made from 





320 


WINES—FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 


the small black Burgundy grape. It receives its rich 
claret color from the husks of the grape, which are left 
in the cask during fermentation. This wine is best 
when newly made, and after two years loses its aroma. 
Its value has been from three hundred to three hundred 
and fifty dollars a pipe. 

Tinto is a dark wine from the Negra Molle grape, 
which is larger than the Burgundy. It is used with 
others in the composition of Madeira wine. 

Madeira .—This is the great wine of the island. It 
is made from a combination of grapes. When new, it 
is of a light claret, voilet hue; but this subsides as it 
advances to maturity. This wine is usually sent on a 
voyage to the East or West Indies, and takes its name 
accordingly in the markets. It has generally com¬ 
manded on the island from one hundred to two hun¬ 
dred and sixty dollars a pipe. 

Besides these, there are Verdelho, Palliete, Surdo 
and Negrino wines. 

All the wines of Madeira require an equable tem¬ 
perature. 

The fruits and vegetables of Madeira are fine and 
abundant. Oranges, lemons, citrons, coffee, arrow- 
root, the guava, banana, custard - apple, mango, 
peaches, pomegranates, apricots, figs, and most of the 
fruits of temperate climates. The sweet potato is 
largely produced, and its leaves are given to cattle. 
The tea-plant has been raised by Mr. Yeitch at liis 
quinta, near the magnificent and sublime Curral, at 
an elevation of two thousand seven hundred feet above 
the sea. 

I was much gratified by seeing several new descrip¬ 
tions of trees. The Till;—this is the lawns fastens, 
and when cut, it smells like sulphureted hydrogen. 
Age and exposure turns it of a beautiful black color. 
The Vinhalico, or island mahogany, is highly valued 
for cabinet work. The dragon-tree is nearly extinct. 
The palm is not very common, but here and there I 


PLANTS—BIRDS—FISH. 


321 


saw some aged ones. It needs, according to Hum¬ 
boldt, a mean temperature of 80 degrees or 81 degrees. 
The aloe and prickly pear I found everywhere in luxu¬ 
riant vegetation. 

I ought not to omit naming a vegetable which Mr. 
Yates placed on our table, and to which he directed 
our attention. It was the Tchu-tchu (Sechium edule), 
called also by the people pepinella. It is a small gourd, 
very much like vegetable marrow; one seed covers a 
wall with its ramifications. 

This is the very home of Flora. I have already named 
camellias of twenty feet in height, and I afterwards saAv 
them still higher. The fuchsias grow into perpetual 
hedges. In every garden we were charmed with the 
fragrance arising irom old favorites and newly-dis¬ 
covered friends. Magnolias were very fine, and in 
bloom. We noticed the Solandro datura, Judas-tree, 
spike coral, the turpentine-tree, oleanders, euphorbia, 
the hibiscus, &c. 

It was pleasant to observe the English black-bird 
here, and to listen to its cheerful note. Here, too, is 
the green canary,—the primal ancestor of the yellow 
variety. It is found here in flocks with other birds. 
The English goldfinch is very common. Partridges 
and quails are scarce; the woodcock is more common. 
Humming-birds were in ever garden, and on every 
trellis. 

In the fish-market I saw the tunny, of large size ; 
the red and grey mullet, and many kinds which were 
new to me. The turtle taken here is not the green 
turtle ; and one we purchased did not seem at all equal 
to the West India ones at home. 

I was exceedingly pleased with the appearance and 
deportment of the common people at Funchal and the 
vicinity. Men, women and children, however poorly 
clad, were all clean. Sometimes the clothes were so 
patched that it was difficult to say what had been the 
original texture of the garment. Owing to the warmth 


322 DEPARTURE FROM MAID ERA. 

of the climate, a shirt and pantaloons, without sjioes, is 
all that a boy requires. 

At four o’clock in the afternoon we left this most 
enchanting island, amid the farewells of a vast midti- 
tude, who crowded the beach and wished us “ a plea¬ 
sant voyage,” and told us truthfully that they hoped to 
see us again. I do not think that we touched at any 
place where we were the means of doing the people so 
much real good as at Funchal. We all made large 
purchases, and the poor folks who live by manufacturing 
baskets, mats, feather-work and cabinet-ware, seldom 
I fancy, find such a set of customers. Mr. Borden 
and otjiers said that it was a providential affair to 
many of the poor people, and would help to make them 
comfortable through the winter. Most certainly, if I 
had no duty to keep me at home, I know of no place 
where I should so like to pass a winter as at Funchal. 
I could not leave it without a hope that I might see it 
again, and yet this is vastly improbable ; but its 
mountain range is impressed for ever in my recol¬ 
lection. 

. V 


323 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


LEAVE FUNCHAL—APPEARANCE OF THE ISLAND — SKIRT THE SHORE- 
ROUGH WEATHEE — LIVE STOCK—A WRECK DISCOVERED— FLYING 
FISH—SANDY HOOK—SALUTATIONS ON ARRIVAL—SUMMARY OF THE 
VOYAGE—OUR OBLIGATIONS TO MR. AND MRS. VANDERBILT— CAP. 
TAIN ELDRIDGE AND HIS OFFICERS—IHE VOYAGE A SOURCE OF 
PRIDE TO THE COUNTBY. 


September 12, at half-past four p.m., we steamed off 
from the roadstead of Funchal. The sun was shining 
beautiful through dark clouds of singular shape resting 
upon the island. A shower came on, and almost imme¬ 
diately we were delighted with a most brilliant double 
rainbow. One foot of the exterior arch rested upon 
the very edge of the water, and the bow bathed the 
back-ground of ravine and mountain in rich and varied 
dyes. This is the second instance we have observed of 
double bows appearing as we have left port. The 
other one occurred at our departure from Copenhagen. 
Our course was shaped by Captain Eldridge close along 
shore, so that we might have good views of the grand 
coast scenery of this beautiful island. 

The back-ground of the town, running up to about 
five thousand five hundred feet, now showed finely, and 
presented a map-like delineation of its terraced villas 
and gardens. On the shore of Funchal stands a lofty 
pillar, which was erected in 1796-8, by an English 
merchant, for the purpose of landing goods from ships. 
This, however, has proved a failure. It stood origi- 
ally in the very margin of the sea, and now it is consi¬ 
derably inland, indicating the receding of tbe ocean 
during the last half-century. The Loo Fvock, which in 


324 ' ;/ i LEAVE FUNCHAL. 

the engraving looks merely like a projecting fort, is 
really an island, and has a channel between it and the 
point of land. Now we had a good view again of the 
governor’s palace, which is seen over the Loo Rock, 
rising behind the gardens of the Praca da Rainha. It 
is called the Fortaleza, and looks very much like an 
extensive barracks. 

And now from Ponta da Cruz we obtained fresh 
glimpses of the island, as we passed slowly along. The 
chief point of interest was Camera de Lobos, and then 
a little west of this the back-ground was very lofty, and 
broken in the finest manner. The tops of these moun¬ 
tain peaks seemed vanishing in hazy distance, and against 
the dark masses of pliff and wood I could see the wing 
of the sea-gull flashing in the sunshine. Next, we came 
upon the opening made on the shore by the mountain 
streams, and around these the coast broke into jagged 
masses like clouds, and afforded picturesque and start¬ 
ling scenery, in which the precipitous crag and roaring 
surge awakened sublime emotions. 

The little town of Magdalena, on the very edge of 
the ocean, with its neat little church and its forest- 
crowned hills, richly gilded by the western sun, de¬ 
lighted us all as we gazed upon it in our too hasty pas¬ 
sage. Calheta was the last hamlet we could recognise 
clearly, and now we lay off our course for New York 
by the southern passage, making west-half-north till 
we made latitude 35 N., longitude 52 W.; then west 
by north-half-north to latitude 37, longitude 64 ; thence 
west-north-west. 

As soon as we passed beyond the west end of the 
island, we found a head sea and heavy swell. The 
night was a very unpleasant one, and probably the 
ladies suffered more than on any other occasion during 
the whole voyage, This weather lasted for two days, 
and the wind kept steady from the north-east. The 
first three days we made our way running only two 
nm^rspbnt then ptlt mi nll fotrb 


LIVE STOCK—A WRECK—FLYJNG FISH. 325 

1 he 14th was a charming evening, and we had a 
good quiet night, which brought all hands to the break¬ 
fast-table. We had several additions about this time 
made to our live stock from the sheep taken on board 
at Gibraltar, which gave us four or five lambs. Of 
these every possible care was taken, but in vain ; the 
bad weather was more than they could manage to bear 
up against; and now a worse misfortune befell us, in 
having all our beef taken on board at Madeira prove 
unfit tor use. However, we had other stores to make 
good this loss ; but it was provoking to see so much 
good provision become worthless. 

The 15th was a fine day, and our four boilers now 
carried us along at a rapid rate. Sunday, 18th, was a 
rough day ; every one seemed to feel under the influ¬ 
ence of the storm, though very few were sick. The 
motion of the ship was unpleasant, and we generally 
voted it to be a mean kind of time. This was the only 
Sabbath at sea on which divine service was not held, and 
its non-observance to-day was owing to my indisposi¬ 
tion from severe headache. The deepest interest was 
a wakened in all on board by a report made whilst we 
were at - dinner that a wreck was in sight. Captain 
Eldridge immediately altered our course, and bore down 
for it. On coming up to the hulk, it appeared to be 
the wreck of a ship which must have long been buffet¬ 
ing the ocean Avave; her decks w T ere broken up, but 
her chains still lay on board. Her stanchions really 
looked like men standing up, and at a distance we all 
supposed that they were two or three men on deck. 

Monday, 19th, was stormy. One of our gentlemen 
this day lost his hat overboard. The water of the ocean 
was noAv tested by the thermometer, and gave 81 degrees 
2 minutes. TVe Avere greatly amused with immense quan¬ 
tities of flying fish, several of which were caught for¬ 
wards. For several days we Avere surrounded by these 
pretty fish, and some of them made quite long flights. 

2 F 



326 


SANDY HOOK. 


Almost all our course was through, masses of sea-weed, 
which abounds in the Gulf Stream. : 

The 20th was a fine day, and our firemen, who were 
much exhausted with the weather, made noble efforts. 
Our progress this day was three hundred and six miles. 
I was greatly amused with an animated discussion 
between two of our party on the character of the wea¬ 
ther which we had experienced on our entire voyage. 
One, who had never been at sea before, reckoned up 
sixteen days of bad weather ; the other, who had often 
crossed the ocean, thought there had not been one bad 
day. I confess that, though I think w r e had a few un¬ 
pleasant days, I did not remember one that I should call 
a regular storm. On our passage through the Gulf 
Stream we had three or four squalls, of considerable 
force; but I have seen far worse weather in the same 
region; so that I was quite content to allow this 
passage to pass as a pretty fair one. , 

Some of the party had at Gibraltar thought of dear 
friends at home, and purchased the best grapes the 
market could afford, and these were carefully packed up 
in casks. One was now T opened, to see how the experi¬ 
ment had succeeded, when the proprietors were vexed to 
find that they were packed up in pine sawdust, and 
were thoroughly impregnated with turpentine! In 
other respects they had kept tolerably well. 

Until Thursday, 22d, we saw very few vessels. For 
days we had seen but tw r o or three, and they were 
standing east; but now we felt that we were homeward 
bound, and all around us were ships, brigs and schooners, 
standing in for a;port which, like ourselves, they longed 
to make, but not with our speed. Passing them all by, 
we felt our advantage in the possession of that mighty 
power which has revolutionized the state of the world. 

Friday, 23, at early daylight, we made the light at 
Sandy Hook, and, without waiting for a pilot, we 
gradually approached the shores of our beloved land. 


ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK. 


327 


Staten Island looked as lovely as ever, and she is one 
of the sweetest spots upon out globe. Travel where 
he may, the voyager fails to find a place where all the 
comforts and elegance of life are more profusely con¬ 
centrated than on this island-suburb of the great 
metropolis of America. 

Just as we passed the residence of Mr. Vanderbilt’s 
mother, a salute was fired, and a boat boarded us from 
the quarantine, reporting good news for all on board. 
At the wharf lay the Hunchback steamboat, and as we 
passed her the cheering of welcome home fell on Mr. 
Aandefbilt’s ears from those on board who had known 
him in all his career of life,—-from a lad laboring for 
daily bread, up to the moment when, as a merchant 
prince, he was returning from a voyage in his own steam 
yacht to almost every great port of Europe, having re¬ 
ceived the respect and admiration of the Old World as 


the successful architect of his own fortunesi We went 
off from the island side by side with the Hunchback, and 
in going up the bay received ■ the* hearty salutations of 
every ship and steamer that we met. We steamed up 
the Korfh river, and were saluted by the Ounard boat at 
Jersey city, the Collins steamer at Canal-street, and then 
rounding, we went past the Battery, where hundreds 
were gathered and on the neighbouring wharves, and 
then went up the East river, and, at about two o’clock, 
brought up at the spot whence we originally departed, 
in front of the Allaire works. On the dock were kind 
friends and beloved relatives, and soon they stood upon 
our deck, and I almost felt that no entire four months 
aMthSiff ? 1 ' But 1 T sOUrtilearnedc a.'painful 


sw 


et, that convinced me that all was a reality ; that the 
, voetest joys of life are dashed with bitter waters, and 
that however bright may be the morning, the clouds 
i?aw'aiid 9f wifl^6i l ten gather ere the day comes to a 

r q smjmw hsodYm t b& e jfooH ybnfi8 

There nrf many items'/'which may, perhapsp.prove 


of interest to others, which are not alluded to in my 

2 f 2 




328 MILES STEAMED ON OUR VOYAGE. 

record. It has occurred to me that some would like to 
see a summing up of the work done by the North Star, 
and I therefore add an account of the miles steamed on 
our voyage. ; , ' Ji "Up caolo do i/a m aahiow iuoi 


fiftrii 'ioqmoi hue gndaai io aaoi to floia$$g E g3 

New York to Southampton. 3140 

Trip round the Isle of Wight....__ 73 

Southampton to Copenhagen.. 807 

Copenhagen to Cronstadt .. 655 

Cronstadt to Havre. 1461 

Havre to Gibraltar.. 1200 

Gibraltar to Malaga.. 60 

Malaga to Leghorn. 807 

Leghorn to Civita Yecchia.... 120 

Civita Yecchia to Naples......... 155 

Naples to Malta.. 340 

Malta to Constantinople.. 838 

Constantinople to Gibraltar . 1838 

Gibraltar to Madeira ......: 600 

Madeira to New York... 2930 

.1 Total....... ... 15024 


We were actually engaged in sailing fifty-eight days, 
making our average of speed to rate at two hundred 
and fifty-nine miles per diem, or within a fraction. On 
the entire voyage, our consumption of coal amounted 
to two thousand two hundred tons, averaging twenty- 
eight tons daily. It has rarely happened to any but 
those of our own party that it could be said, “ We have 
been in the four quarters of the world in twenty-eight 
days;” yet this was the case with our yacht. 

I cannot close this narrative of days precious to 
memory without expressing my gratitude to Mr. Van¬ 
derbilt for his uniform kindness and delicate attentions 
to me as an individual during the whole excursion ; 
nor would I forget to mention how, every day, every 
one on board was made to see and feel the excellent 

8 1 C 


















CAPTAIN ELDIIIDGE AND OFFICERS. 


329 


qualities of his lady* whose uniform amiable spirit was 
the regulator of the circle. I do not believe that it is 
possible for a party of twenty-five persons to spend 
four months in such close and daily intercourse with 
less of collision or loss of feeling and temper than was 
seen in our whole excursion. I am sure that when we 
landed at New York one .of pur pleasantest hopes was 
that we might often meet, in future life, to revive the 
memory of events which have, .marked our lives in 

5 ....ar/all ot tbatenoiO 

Every one on board the yacht felt the amount of in¬ 
debtedness under which lie labored tO'Gaptain Eldridge, 
whose nautical skill is only equalled! by Ids cheerful- 
hearted every-day kindness. , J do not exaggerate his 
merits when I say that those who have seen,him navi¬ 
gate the Mediterranean, where lie had never been, and 
enter ports without a pilots are quite satisfied that an 
abler seamen never trod a quarter deck. Long may he 
live, an honor to his profession, and the object of regard 
to his friends ! Mrs. Eldridge, I will simply remark, 
will have through our lives our highest respect, to which 
her admirable good sense and virtues entitle her. Our 
friends Messrs. Cope, Peterson, and Germaine, will 
always be rememhemth.byi Us with respect,... > 11 

The gentlemen of the party, under a,-sense of obli¬ 
gation to the officers of the;North Star, decided to 
present a silver tea service to Captain Eldridge, and a 
gold watch to each of the previously-named gentlemen 
and also to Mr. Larner, the excellent steward, 

The presentation of the silver service , to the capta' 
took place at Mr. Vanderbilt’s house in December, 
a very pleasant reunion of the North Star party, wh 
it was handed to him, and an addfess made by, N. 
Labau, Esq., on behalf of the gentlemen. \-,t /•;( . , 

Mr. John Keefe, our purser, was, perhaps, more 
constantly with our party than any one of the other 
ship’s company. He was always attentive and obliging, 
was a most observant traveller, picked up a vast amount 

2 f 3 ^ 



» ' ’-fBIBPP 

330 VOYAGE SOURCE OF NATIONAL PRIDE. 

of new ideas, and very often made remarks whicli I 
shall remember as long as I live. If his numerous 
friends who visit him at his establishment in Broadway 
do not get amused by his. stories of foreign travel, 
while regaled with his delicacies, I am much mistaken. 

Much of the comfort of the ladies depended upon 
the good temper and willingness of the stewardess ; and 
I am very sure that none of the ladies would forgive 
me if I did not say that Harriet Johnson was always 
kind and cheerful. Her ready wit and pleasant jokes I 
do not fofget. 0* 

The press of the country, with one or two exceptions, 
spoke favorably of the project; and in several of the 
papers of the day letters were published from various 
members of the party. Mr. W. H. Vanderbilt wrote a 
very interesting series, which appeared in the Staten 
1,fancier. 

I do not believe that such a cruise as we made in the 
steam yacht North Star was ever attempted before; 
and I much doubt if, under all the same circumstances 
of splendor and enjoyment, if it will ever be again 
undertaken. 

It is, I know, to American citizens generally a matter 
of proud satisfaction, that a private individual has thus 
shown the mechanical skill and ability of our country 
to almost every nation in Europe; and it must be a 
subject of pleasure to Mr. Vanderbilt to reflect that his 
enterprise, so nobly conceived, was satisfactorily carried 
ut and happily consummated. 

▼il b nt mltirrr . * 


THE END. 

'<OOTCOJ 

TSUQO e'd-.MVt >J - <> on //V: r o:i 

r> •- -1 J L c:\ , ;VJ 

Printed by J. Smith & Co., 52, Long Acre, London. 

7 16 3 




































